After the news broke about the 2027 changes to how Liberty obtains its power from NV Energy, some level of panic settled in at Lake Tahoe. Most of the California side of Lake Tahoe, along with the stretch of the Sierra from Loyalton to Topaz Lake will be affected by changes to how power is transmitted to the area. Liberty’s Lake Tahoe electric service area does not connect to the California ISO grid and relies on transmission from Nevada. An ISO grid is an Independent System Operator (ISO), a neutral, nonprofit organization that manages, operates, and monitors the high-voltage electricity grid in a specific region to ensure reliability and open access.
NV Energy’s Katie Nannini, director of the company’s corporate communications, reached out with a statement about the current situation and an explanation of how the process works:
NV Energy has a long history of working cooperatively with Liberty Utilities to ensure customers continue to receive reliable electric service.
When NV Energy sold certain California electric system assets to Liberty Utilities in 2009, it also agreed to provide energy and generation capacity for a temporary transition period. That transition was originally set for five years and was later extended in 2015 and again in 2020 to give Liberty additional time to put long‑term plans in place. Under the most recent extension, NV Energy agreed to continue providing energy service through December 29, 2025.
From the beginning, it has been understood that Liberty Utilities would eventually secure its own transmission access and energy supply so it could serve customers independently. Liberty’s 2018 request for transmission service signaled that it was taking the steps necessary to arrange for and deliver energy to its customers, and NV Energy’s planning has consistently reflected that expectation.
In late 2025, as a good neighbor and in the interest of continued reliability for customers, NV Energy agreed to keep providing service until Liberty’s transmission service is available. We appreciate that Liberty has now taken the next step by asking the California Public Utilities Commission to update its resource plan so it can secure the energy needed to serve its customers going forward.
The Greenlink West transmission project, expected to come online in 2027, will make this transition possible. Once operational, Greenlink West will allow Liberty to use NV Energy’s transmission system to purchase and deliver its own energy, as originally intended.
NV Energy remains committed to reliability, transparency and working to support customers during this transition.
On Monday, we’ll be speaking to Liberty’s spokesperson for an update on their plans.