The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System on fire by its own panel

The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in
the Mojave Desert,
has been betrayed by its
mirrors. This week, the world’s largest solar
power plant experienced a small fire, which left
the plant operating at a third of its capacity.
Ivanpah’s impressive array of mirrors focuses
the light from the sun onto boilers, which makes
steam and drives turbines. This is the way many
solar-concentrating power plants work.

But, as the Associated Press reports in this
unfortunate case, some of Ivanpah’s mirrors
were misaligned. That means that the
sunbeams were concentrated and focused on
the wrong spot, causing electrical cables to
catch fire.
Workers and firefighters were reportedly able to
put out the blaze in about 20 minutes, but it left
the plant with melted and scorched implements.
It’s unclear when it will be back and running at
full speed, and whether this will impact the
electricity supply for California.