The 377 MW Ivanpah solar plant started up in California today amid controversy over wildlife apparently killed by the intense heat emitted from the solar receivers located on top of the facility’s “power towers.” 3,500 acres of specially-designed mirrors focus the sun’s radiation on the towers, which convert water to steam used to spins power-generating turbines.

The towers can heat the surrounding air to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, reportedly killing birds. A spokesperson for NRG Energy, the company that operates the plant – which is owned by BrightSource Energy and Google – said it’s too soon “to draw any definitive conclusions about long-term impacts on avian or other species.”

“We’re trying to figure out how big the problem is and what we can do to minimize bird mortalities,” said Eric Davis, assistant regional director for migratory birds at the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s Sacramento office. – Wall Street Journal