Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) $5 billion Gigafactory is being built in Reno, and it will provide a huge boost to the economy of the area. Moreover, officials in Reno believe that the area is capable of handling the growth driven by the construction of the factory, but note it will require more investment and it is not clear who will foot the bill.
Reno a confident host to Tesla Gigafactory
The impact of the Tesla project was assessed by the Washoe County commission and Reno and Sparks city in a joint meeting.
According to the regional officials, the Reno site can facilitate 6,200 new residents, providing them water and accommodation, according to the report of Reno Gazette-Journal. However, concerns were raised over the sewage issue as officials argued that its largest waste water treatment facility is already overloaded. The city has two options of either building a $35 million pipeline to transfer industrial-use water to Storey County or installing $40 million in new nitrogen treatment technology.
Water planners stated that there is no shortage of water to meet the demands of the expected population growth provided the Fish Springs Ranch Water importation project is brought online. Water lines are secured and the pipeline is already being constructed for the project.
Plans under constant supervision
“We have enough capacity to treat the growth that is coming at us in the next decade,” Sparks Assistant City Manager Neil Krutz said. “We certainly don’t have it ready to go today,” Krutz continued, noting that it is within the purview of the officials to deploy capital and operating plans to ensure the capacity is there when required. At present, there are around 64,000 housing units approved, but construction is yet to be started. Officials believe that these housing units are sufficient to handle the population inflow from Tesla.
There are, however, doubts whether the housing will serve the purpose of those who will be employed in the Tesla Gigafactory as half of the employees will live in surrounding Washoe County. The Truckee Meadows executive director of regional planning authority said that as of now the planning is in its initial phase for Tesla. He noted that officials will continue re-evaluating its plans periodically.
The impact of the Tesla project on the roads and the school system will be analyzed by local officials during a meeting in January.
Source: http://www.valuewalk.com/2014/12/tesla-gigafactory-reno-ready-growth/
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