President Barack Obama will visit a solar energy plant in Boulder City next Wednesday to promote his energy policy that includes boosting renewable sources, a White House official said Friday.

The president also will stop in Carlsbad, N.M., the same day before traveling on Thursday to Oklahoma and Ohio to talk about expanding oil and gas development as well.

The official visit comes as Obama is under fire by Republicans for rising gas prices that are nearing $4 a gallon. Although the White House said it’s not a campaign trip, Nevada is a key battleground in the 2012 election and Obama is seeking to win the state for a second time.

Wednesday’s visit would be Obama’s seventh to Southern Nevada since he was elected and the third time he has been to the region since October. He’s also traveled to Reno in Northern Nevada.

In Boulder City, Obama plans to visit the Copper Mountain Solar 1 Facility, the largest photovoltaic plant operating in the country with nearly 1 million solar panels powering 17,000 homes.

The White House said he would highlight diversifying U.S. energy, including by expanding renewable energy from sources such as wind and solar, which are plentiful in Southern Nevada.

In Carlsbad, N.M., Obama plans to visit oil and gas production fields to promote expanding domestic oil and gas production. The White House said domestic oil production is at an eight-year high and domestic natural gas production is at an all-time high under his administration.

In Cushing, Okla., on Thursday, Obama will talk about infrastructure to support domestic energy and at Ohio State University in Columbus, he’ll promote energy research and development.

Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Follow @lmyerslvrj on Twitter.