Monday, Sept. 10, 2012 | 2:02 a.m.
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In a recent letter, “Reid working to diversify the economy,” Peter Pall defends Sen. Harry Reid’s latest attempt to promote a $5 billion alternative-energy project near Laughlin proposed by a Chinese company, arguing it would be a major factor in solving our unemployment problem.
The jobs created by such a project are mostly temporary construction jobs, gone after the panels are in place, windmills built or whatever.
The Tonopah solar project, financed by a $737 million Department of Energy loan guarantee , is projected to provide 45 permanent jobs ($16 million per job), but it is taxpayer-sponsored.
The second overlooked fact is that the Chinese company could bring its own workers, like the company building a new bridge over the San Francisco Bay.
The main effect the project would have for Nevada residents is the cost of the power it could possibly produce.
The considerably higher cost would be passed on in everyone’s utility bill, causing a real problem for our seniors and low-income residents.
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