Plans are now underway for the construction of three big solar generating facilities that will go up in southeastern New Mexico and western Texas.
The projects belong to the electric utility and natural gas company Excel Energy Incorporated.
In a press release from the company’s Amarillo office, Adrian Rodriguez, president for Xcel’s New Mexico/Texas region, remarked: “Our region’s abundant sunshine provides some of the best solar power opportunities in the nation.”
The new solar array projects, continued Rodriquez, “will help us fulfill commitments to our employees and host communities, while utilizing one of our greatest natural resources.”
As planned, two of the solar facilities will be built at the site of the Cunningham Generating Station, which is located around 14 miles to the west of downtown Hobbs, New Mexico.
The third facility is set for construction at the Plant X Generating Station, some 5 miles south of the small town of Earth, Texas.
Both the Cunningham Generating Station and Plant X Generating Station currently house gas-fueled generating units that have been in operation for at least six decades.
The three projects can only become reality once they have received regulatory approval in both New Mexico and Texas. Work would likely begin not long after the approvals are secured, with a likely completion date of either 2026 or 2027.
Upon completion, the two Hobbs area solar facilities will have a combined 268 megawatts capacity, while the Plant X Generating Station project would be good for 150 megawatts.
Notes the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Together, the three facilities “would provide enough solar energy to power 140,000 average Xcel customer homes.”
By Garry Boulard
