A very large project has been proposed for growing Rio Rancho that could see the building of a solar farm spread out over 3,000 acres.
The project would be developed by the company Clenera and, if made reality, will go up a dozen or so miles to the southwest of downtown Rio Rancho.
As planned, the solar farm would be capable of producing up to 400 megawatts of renewable energy a day, an output that could power well over 100,000 homes.
Based in Boise, Idaho, Clenera specializes in the development and building, as well as management, of both large solar farms as well as energy storage facilities across the country.
The vacant site for the Rio Rancho project is located on the western portion of what is known as Quail Ranch.
The project, which has already won the approval of the Rio Rancho Planning and Zoning Board, must now be reviewed for final approval by the Rio Rancho Governing Board.
If members of that board give it a green light, work could begin on what is being called the Atrisco Solar farm later this year, with the farm fully operational by the early summer of 2024.
To date, Clenera has spearheaded the development and building of around two dozen solar projects in nine states. The company has a particularly strong presence in the West, with projects in California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, and Arizona.
By Garry Boulard
