President Obama was too quick to tout the benefits of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, and its expected electrical generating output. According to the Energy Information Administration, from January through August 2014, its three units generated 254,263 megawatt-hours of electricity, which is about one-quarter of the annual 1 million-plus megawatt-hours that had been anticipated for the plant, allegedly due to fewer sunny days than predicted. Its owners are now requesting a $539 million federal grant to help pay off part of a $1.6 billion federal loan it received to build the plant.
