Aerial view of Ivanpah solar power plant. The Ivanpah Solar Power Facility is the world's largest concentrated solar thermal power plant, 40 miles southwest of Las Vegas. Opened in 2014, it uses 173,500 mirrors spread across five square miles to concentrate the sun's rays on three steam boilers which power electric turbines. Ivanpah produces 377 megawatts, or enough power for 140,000 homes.