Families of Ivanpah Enjoy a Sneak Peak at the Project
On Saturday, September 29, Ivanpah construction contractor Bechtel welcomed more than 3,500 people to celebrate Family Day at the site. Open to all workers associated with the Ivanpah project, Family Day was a rare opportunity for employees to show off the world’s largest concentrating solar plant under construction to their loved ones. Project partners NRG Energy and BrightSource Energy, along with Bechtel and some of the site represented union craft groups, set up informational booths and various displays in the project’s Common Area to educate attendees about their role in the construction of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System and how it will provide reliable, renewable energy to Californians.
Attendees experienced the project and its technology firsthand through guided tours of the Unit 1 power block and Heliostat Assembly Building (HAB) and Pad Bonding Buildings (PBB). Four buses took turns driving attendees to the center of the first, most complete unit, where enthusiastic Bechtel employees greeted each caravan and answered questions throughout the walking tour around the power block. The tour concluded in the HAB and PBB as Bechtel representatives proudly explained the intricate details of the heliostat assembly.
Back at the Common Area, event-goers learned about the flora and fauna of the desert landscape from the site’s biologists, who displayed snakes and plants native to the area. Bechtel’s booth featured a cardboard cutout of a well-outfitted workman to educate attendees about the personal protection equipment required at the worksite. Children had fun pretending to drive Caterpillar’s heavy equipment, including a pylon auger and bobcat. The face-painting and balloon artists at NRG’s booth were a big hit with all kids. BrightSource handed out sunscreen and temporary water-free tattoos, while talking about the project’s advanced technology and minimized environmental impact to interested attendees.
Enjoy photos from the event below!
