6226 W. SAHARA AVE. 

LAS VEGAS, NV 89146

Frank A. Tracy

Generating Station

Rev. 2015-06

Location: 17 miles east of Reno, Nevada

Peak Generating Capacity: 885 Megawatts (Summer Peak)

(Tracy Station Complex includes the Clark Mountain Combustion Turbines)

Plant Description: The Frank A. Tracy Generating Station is 

a multi-technology, clean-burning natural gas-fueled power 

plant complex that includes eight individual generating 

units with in-service dates ranging from 1974 to 2008. The 

original two generating units, which have been shut down 

and are in the process of being dismantled, were completed 

in 1963 and 1965. 

The newest and most energy-efficient units are a standalone combined-cycle power production system that 

consists of two 7FA General Electric combustion turbine 

generators that recycle their exhaust to generate additional 

electricity with a separate General Electric D11 steam 

turbine. These three combined-cycle units can generate 

about 541 megawatts of electricity during the hottest times 

of the year and more electricity during the cooler months.

An earlier combined-cycle system was completed in 1996 

that consists of a general Electric combustion turbine (6FA) 

that improves its efficiency by recycling its exhaust to power 

a General Electric steam turbine for a total of 108 megawatts 

when duct burners are used.

The 1974 unit uses a Babcock and Wilcox steam boiler that 

drives a Westinghouse turbine generator. 

The Tracy Station complex includes two 66-megawatt 

simple-cycle generating units that were completed in 1994. 

Also known as the Clark Mountain Combustion Turbines, 

these General Electric 7EAs are “peaking” units that are 

primarily used during the hottest times of the year and the 

hottest times of the day. They can burn either natural gas or 

diesel oil.

Employment: Approximately 60 employees

INTERESTING FEATURES:

 The complex can produce enough electricity to serve 

more than a half million households.

 Unlike some conventional power plants that use 

substantial amounts of water for cooling, the largest 

combined-cycle units use a six-story-high dry cooling 

system. This system, which uses 36-feet in diameter fan 

blades, can make the same amount of electricity with 

a mere 7 percent of water used by conventional watercooled facilities. 

 The combined-cycle plant at the Frank A. Tracy 

Generating Station received a “Top Plant Award” from 

POWER Magazine in 2008, a “Best Performer Award” 

from the Electric Utility Cost Group in 2012, and a “Best 

Practices Award” from COMBINED CYCLE Journal in 2013.

 NV Energy annually provides approximately $3.7 million 

in tax revenue to Storey County that benefits general 

county operations, schools, libraries and other civic 

services. 
Generating Resources

One Nevada

Transmission Line

Intertie

Winnemucca

Tonopah

Reno

Ely

Las Vegas

Elko

Battle

Mountain

Chuck Lenzie Generating Station • North of Las Vegas • 1,102 MW 

Clark Mountain Combustion Turbines • Sparks • 132 MW

Edward W. Clark Generating Station • Las Vegas • 1,103 MW

Fort Churchill Generating Station • Yerington • 226 MW

Frank A. Tracy Generating Station • Sparks • 753 MW

Goodsprings Energy Recovery Station • Goodsprings • 5 MW

Harry Allen Generating Station • North of Las Vegas • 628 MW

Las Vegas Generating Station • North Las Vegas • 272 MW

Navajo Generating Station • Arizona • 255 MW (NVE owns 11.3%; SRP is operator)

Nellis Solar Array II • Northeast of Las Vegas • 15 MW (Under Development)

North Valmy Generating Station • Valmy • 261 MW (Idaho Power owns 50% of 522 MW total)

Reid Gardner Generating Station • Moapa • 257 MW total

Silverhawk Generating Station • North of Las Vegas • 390 MW (So. Nev. Water Authority owns 25% of 520 MW total)

Sun Peak Generating Station • Las Vegas • 210 MW

Walter M. Higgins Generating Station • Stateline • 530 MW

Key: Coal Natural Gas Renewable energy 

(All megawatts are summer peak capacity)

Clark

Reid

Gardner

Clark Mtn.

Valmy

Tracy

Fort

Churchill

Harry Allen

Silverhawk

Chuck Lenzie

Sun Peak

Higgins

Goodsprings

To

Navajo

(east of Page, AZ)

LVGS

Nellis

rev. 2015-01-01