Colorado River Commission of Nevada

What Colorado River Commission of Nevada does

The Colorado River Commission of Nevada (CRCNV) is a Nevada state government agency, established in 1935 under NRS 538.041 to 538.251, responsible for securing and managing Nevada's allocation of electrical power and water resources from the Colorado River. The agency operates as a hybrid regulatory-infrastructure entity: it owns and maintains the fourth-largest transmission and distribution system in Nevada — 17 high-voltage substations, 47 miles of 230-kV and 69-kV transmission lines, a communications network with 58 miles of fiber optic cable and three microwave radio sites, and approximately 1,800 megawatts of transformer capacity — while also representing Nevada's interests in federal and binational water and power negotiations including the post-2026 operating guidelines and Minute 323 with Mexico. Its core service lines are Hydropower Management (delivering power from Hoover Dam, Glen Canyon Dam, Davis Dam, and Parker Dam to wholesale utility contractors, industrial customers at the Black Mountain and Basic Management Industrial Complexes, and government and educational institutions), Water Resource Management (protecting Nevada's 300,000 acre-feet annual water allocation through participation in drought contingency plans, salinity control, and multi-species conservation), and Energy Services (staffing the Silver State Energy Association to procure approximately 1,203,000 MWh of market power annually for member entities).

The Commission's business model is cost-recovery rather than profit-driven: it generates revenue from the sale of water and electric power to its contractors plus interest income on state treasurer investments, and explicitly does not receive state tax allocations, general fund revenues, or federal funds for administrative and operating functions. Power is delivered at cost, making it one of the least expensive resources in its customers' energy portfolios and qualifying as a renewable resource under Nevada's Renewable Portfolio Standard. Its customer base is horizontally segmented across wholesale utilities, government, educational, and industrial end-users in southern Nevada. The agency operates with a lean staff of 11-50 employees despite managing a $120 million electric system, reflecting its reliance on contracted power purchases, embedded partnerships (notably with SNWA, Bureau of Reclamation, and WAPA), and regulatory authority rather than internal scale. Its strategic significance is concentrated in the hydrologically stressed Colorado River Basin, where Lake Mead sat at 31% capacity as of August 2025, positioning the Commission as a critical institutional actor in water scarcity negotiations and southern Nevada's long-term resource security.

Name

Colorado River Commission of Nevada

Legal name

Colorado River Commission of Nevada

Website

https://crc.nv.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Colorado River Commission of Nevada is a state agency that secures and manages Nevada's allocation of Colorado River water (300,000 acre-feet annually) and hydroelectric power, delivering at-cost power from Hoover Dam and other federal projects to utilities, government entities, and industrial customers in southern Nevada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Power Resource Management

NAICS

Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (92613)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Choice Aggregators with Distribution Operations (CCA + Wires, where applicable) (EUADABAK)

Keywords

• Water resource management
• Hydroelectric power management
• Power transmission infrastructure
• River basin management
• Drought contingency planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Water and power sales: Revenue is generated from the sale of water and electric power to contractors. The Commission does not receive state tax allocations, general fund revenues, or federal funds for administrative and operating functions. Interest income from state treasurer investments also contributes to revenue.
2. Hydropower allocation delivery: Nevada receives approximately 24 percent of power generated by the Boulder Canyon Project (Hoover Dam), 22 percent of Parker-Davis Project, and 2 percent of Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects. Power is delivered at cost to wholesale utility contractors, full requirements contractors at Black Mountain Industrial Complex, and various end-users including state/local governmental entities and educational institutions.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Colorado River Commission of Nevada (CRCNV) is a Nevada state government agency that secures and manages Nevada's allocated share of Colorado River water (300,000 acre-feet annually) and hydroelectric power resources. It administers hydropower allocations from federal projects (Hoover Dam, Parker-Davis, Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects), operates high-voltage transmission and substation infrastructure in southern Nevada, represents Nevada in interstate Colorado River operating guideline negotiations, and delivers power at cost to wholesale utilities, industrial complexes, state and local government entities, and educational institutions.

Product overview

The Colorado River Commission of Nevada (CRCNV) is a state agency that provides water resource management and hydroelectric power management services. Rather than a software product company, CRCNV operates as a regulatory and infrastructure management agency that secures and manages Nevada's allocation of electrical power and water resources from the Colorado River. Its core services include Hydropower Management (managing power allocations from Hoover Dam, Parker-Davis Project, and Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects), Water Resource Management (protecting Nevada's Colorado River water allocation), Power Delivery Infrastructure (operating substations and transmission lines), Energy Services Group (servicing the Silver State Energy Association), Natural Resources Division Programs (adaptive management, species conservation, salinity control), and Conservation Programs (water conservation initiatives through SNWA). The organization does not offer commercial software products or SaaS platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hydropower Management Manages and protects Nevada's allocation of hydroelectric power generated by federal dams including Hoover Dam, Glen Canyon Dam, Davis Dam, and Parker Dam. CRCNV holds long-term contracts with the federal government for power purchase and delivers power to wholesale utility contractors, full requirements contractors, state and local governmental entities, and educational institutions.
• Water Resource Management Protects the rights and interests of Nevada's allocated share of Colorado River water through participation in local, state and federal water and environmental programs. Handles water accounting, shortage calculations, and represents Nevada in post-2026 negotiations for Colorado River operating guidelines.
• Power Delivery Infrastructure Owns, operates, and maintains 17 high-voltage substations, 32 miles of 230-kV overhead transmission lines, 4 miles of 69-kV overhead transmission lines, 11 miles of 69-kV underground transmission lines, and a communications network including microwave radio sites and 58 miles of fiber optic cable. Also operates 8 substations owned by SNWA.
• Energy Services Group Provides service to the Silver State Energy Association (SSEA), a joint powers agency formed for jointly planning, developing, owning, and operating energy resources. SSEA is staffed by CRCNV and SNWA employees and secures approximately 1,203,000 megawatt-hours of power from the market annually to meet members' energy needs.
• Natural Resources Division Programs Includes Post-2026 Negotiations participation, Colorado River Water Accounting, Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program, Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP), Bi-National Relations with Mexico, and Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum participation.
• Conservation Programs Supports water conservation and education programs through the Southern Nevada Water Authority, including removal of non-functional turf, partnerships with businesses for water-efficient technologies, and supporting legislation targeting water waste.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nevada receives 24% of Boulder Canyon Project (Hoover Dam) power, 22% of Parker-Davis Project power, and 2% of Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects power
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Minute 323 (U.S.-Mexico Colorado River Agreement)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Continuation of Minute 319, with both countries committed to expanding water management measures through 2026. Expands restored habitat area from 1,700 to 4,300 acres. NRG participates in technical meetings and work groups including Salinity, Hydrology, and Environmental Work Groups.
• Silver State Energy Association (SSEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Formed in 2007 as a joint powers agency for jointly planning, developing, owning, and operating energy resources. Members include CRCNV, SNWA, City of Boulder City, Overton Power District No. 5, and Lincoln County Power District No. 1.
• Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) ParticipantscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Collaborative framework with Bureau of Reclamation, other basin states (Arizona, California), tribes, NGOs, and stakeholders for drought management practices. DCP went into effect in 2019 requiring water savings contributions in addition to Interim Guideline shortages.
• Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Program balances use of Colorado River water resources with conservation of native species and their habitats. Partnership involves 57 entities including federal/state agencies, water/power users, municipalities, tribes, and conservation organizations. Nevada has 25% cost share obligation of non-federal partners.
• Colorado River Basin Salinity Control ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1974Salinity Control Program created under the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (1974) to improve water quality above Imperial Dam. NRD staff represent Nevada on Forum, Advisory Council, and Technical Workgroup. Program reduces annual salt load by more than 1.3 million tons.
• Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe Bureau of Reclamation is the federal agency that owns and operates the major dams and associated powerplants on the Colorado River. The Commission holds long-term contracts with BOR for the purchase of hydroelectric power resources.
• Western Area Power Administration (WAPA)coreTechnology or IntegrationWAPA is a federal power marketing agency under the Department of Energy that markets and distributes hydroelectric power over a network of high voltage transmission lines. Markets and delivers more than 25,000 gigawatt-hours of hydroelectric power annually.
• Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSNWA is a major water management authority and key partner. Three of seven commissioners are appointed by and are members of SNWA's Board of Directors. CRCNV operates and maintains eight substations owned by SNWA.
• NV Energy (Nevada Energy)minorOthersListed as external partner/link on commission website for related energy resources.
• Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN)minorOthersListed as external partner/link for utility regulatory oversight coordination.
• Colorado River Water Users Association (CRWUA)minorOthersListed as external partner/link for Colorado River water user industry association.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Arizona Department of Water Resources: State water agency representing Arizona's interests in Colorado River allocations and shortage protocols; directly comparable as a co-equal basin state entity participating in the same Drought Contingency Plan and post-2026 negotiations.
• Western Area Power Administration: Federal power marketing agency that markets and delivers more than 25,000 GWh of hydroelectric power annually over a high-voltage transmission network; directly comparable to CRCNV's role in allocating and delivering federal hydropower within Nevada.
• California Department of Water Resources: State agency that operates the State Water Project and represents California in Colorado River matters; comparable as a state-level water/power authority with regulatory and operational responsibilities analogous to CRCNV.
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: Multi-state water wholesaler delivering Colorado River water to southern California agencies; comparable as a Colorado River contractor managing basin allocations, water delivery infrastructure, and conservation programs at metropolitan scale.
• Southern Nevada Water Authority: Regional water and power authority that is the Commission's primary operating partner; three of seven CRCNV commissioners are SNWA board members and the Commission operates eight SNWA-owned substations, making SNWA the closest functional peer in joint water/power infrastructure management.

Broad incumbents

• Tennessee Valley Authority: Federal corporation that generates, transmits, and sells wholesale electricity across a multi-state region; comparable as a public-sector power generator/transmitter managing hydro assets and serving wholesale and industrial customers.
• Bureau of Reclamation: Federal agency that owns and operates the major Colorado River dams from which CRCNV purchases hydropower; while not a state agency, it is the upstream counterparty and effectively the national-scale analog managing basin water and power resources.
• Bonneville Power Administration: Federal power marketing administration that markets hydroelectric power from federal dams in the Pacific Northwest; broader-scale analog of the federal-to-state hydropower contracting and marketing function CRCNV performs for Nevada.

Emerging players

• New York Power Authority: State-owned public power authority that operates hydroelectric and transmission assets serving government, educational, and industrial customers; closely comparable as a state-level power authority delivering low-cost hydropower to public-benefit customers.
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD): Community-owned public utility providing generation, transmission, and distribution services with significant renewable and hydro resources; comparable as a public-power utility operating transmission infrastructure for wholesale and retail customers in a defined service territory.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crcofnv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colorado River Commission of Nevada