Growth in Northern Nevada doesn’t happen by accident, it’s supported by an intricate network of infrastructure, much of it behind the scenes. At the Western Nevada Development District (WNDD) Summit on April 22, three key leaders unpacked the systems shaping the region’s future, from wastewater reuse to power transmission to freeway expansion.
The Infrastructure Panel, moderated by Chris Reilly, featured Casey Mentzer, Plant Manager, Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility, Jeff Brigger, Director of Economic Development, NV Energy, and Sajid Sulahria, Deputy Director, Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT).
Mentzer offered a deep dive into how Northern Nevada’s largest regional wastewater facility is evolving into a resource recovery powerhouse. From reusing effluent to supply Tesla and other Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center users, to generating renewable energy and reclaiming phosphorus for fertilizer, the facility is leading with innovation.
“We’re not just treating water,” said Mentzer. “We’re generating electricity, recycling nutrients, and offsetting costs for ratepayers. This is infrastructure as it should be—smarter, more sustainable, and designed to grow with the community.”
Jeff Brigger walked attendees through Greenlink Nevada, NV Energy’s ambitious transmission project building 600 miles of 500kV line around the state. With an economic impact of nearly $700 million and the creation of 4,000 new jobs, Greenlink will connect Nevada’s renewable energy resources to western markets—and help power the data centers and manufacturing campuses of tomorrow.
“Our infrastructure is no longer just for Nevada—it’s becoming a regional backbone,” Brigger said. “Tri-Center is at the heart of it, but the benefits will ripple statewide.”
From highway congestion to freight mobility, NDOT Deputy Director Sulahria broke down the massive scope and cost of keeping Nevada moving. The I-80 East widening project, funded in part by a record $275 million federal INFRA grant, will help address critical freight and commuter pressures. Other projects like the North Valleys expansion and Spaghetti Bowl upgrades are in various stages of planning and construction.
But the challenge, Sulahria explained, is scale. “Our construction costs have jumped over 50% post-COVID, and our fuel tax funding model hasn’t been updated since 1993. The need is everywhere but the budget is not.”
He also emphasized the growing strain from truck traffic (which now makes up 33% of road use) and the urgency to plan around freight volume generated by Nevada’s booming logistics and lithium economies.
Nevada’s infrastructure isn’t just playing catch-up, it’s gradually becoming a national model for public-private collaboration, resilience, and smart investment. But as all three panelists stressed, growth without infrastructure is a recipe for stagnation and rural voices must stay at the table to shape what comes next.
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