(April 22)  First Solar LLC, the owner and operator of the Ivanpah Solar Project in the northeast corner of San Bernardino County, will pay the county a one-time fee of $202,000 and at least  $187,000 per year thereafter to secure fire protection service for the solar plant from the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District.
Tempe, Ariz.-based First Solar Inc.’s  2.6 square mile Stateline Solar Project, which is to be located just west of the California/Nevada border near Primm, Nevada in the Ivanpah Valley, will utilize mirrors to focus the sun’s rays on a heating tower to run a steam turbine, thereby yielding roughly 223 megawatts, adequate electricity for 82,800 households.
According to a report dated April 22, 2014 by  Greg  Devereaux, the county’s chief executive officer and Mark Hartwig, the county fire chief/fire warden, “This revenue agreement will mitigate the impacts on fire and emergency services generated by the Ivanpah Solar Project by requiring a one-time capital contribution of
$202,000 and an ongoing annual operations and maintenance contribution to the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District in the amount of $187,000 (with an annual employment cost index adjustment). This solar project will generate property and sales tax revenue for the county. Up to fifty percent of the one-time capital payment will be offset by any sales and/or use tax generated from the Ivanpah project and paid to the county, resulting in a minimum one-time capital contribution payment of $101,000 to the fire protection district. Additionally, a portion of the ongoing operation and maintenance contribution will be offset by annual property tax and/or possessory interest tax revenue. It is estimated that the county will receive a minimum of $112,200 annually in property and/or possessory interest tax revenue from the Ivanpah Solar Project, resulting in an estimated annual minimum payment to the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District from First Solar LLC in the amount of $74,800.”
As a condition of certification of the Ivanpah Project, the California Energy Commission required First Solar LLC to negotiate with the county to determine the funding of capital and operating costs for fire protection and emergency response impacts created by the Ivanpah Project.