January 15, 2020 • EPE Related News
El Paso Electric embraces sustainable solutions to meet increased demand
El Paso Electric embraces sustainable solutions to meet increased demand
Jessica Levy, for El Paso Electric Published 5:00 a.m. MT Jan. 15, 2020
After a careful review of proposals, El Paso Electric (EPE) announced a three-part plan to increase and modernize its energy generation: the company hopes to expand its use of solar energy, introduce battery storage, and construct a state-of-the-art natural gas-fired generation unit.
Most of the increase in EPE’s solar energy will come from two new solar facilities in New Mexico. One of those facilities will be in Santa Teresa, and will offer 100 megawatts of solar power. Another will be in Otero County, and will offer an additional 100 megawatts of solar power plus 50 megawatts of battery storage. A third facility in Canutillo, Texas will consist of a standalone 50-megawatt battery storage facility.
The details of the three planned facilities reflect some of the most recent technological advancements in solar power. Previously, a downside of solar energy was that it didn’t work at night. Thanks to battery storage, though, stored solar energy can ensure that electric companies like EPE can meet demand no matter the weather or the time of day.
“By being able to introduce large-scale battery storage into our region, we will, for the first time ever, be able to harness the power of the sun from our solar facilities and utilize that energy at night and during cloudy days,” said EPE Interim CEO Adrian J. Rodriguez in a recent press release.
All three of the new solar energy-related projects are currently pending regulatory approval; if approved, they should be in service by May 2022. The Public Utility Commission of Texas and the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission are the groups responsible for signing off on the necessary permits.
Additionally, EPE hopes to construct a modern natural gas-fired generation unit at the company’s existing Newman Power Plant site. The new unit, which is also pending approval and could be operational by 2023, would allow the company to replace some of its older, less-efficient generation units.
Combined, all of EPE’s upcoming new generation projects would allow the electric utility company to address a surge in demand and a growing customer base. In the past year alone, the company has added approximately 7,000 new customers, according to Rodriguez.
The new construction will not only help El Paso Electric serve that expanding customer base, but will also bring its practices in line with an increased demand for corporate responsibility when it comes to sustainable energy. The new solar energy sources would nearly triple the company’s renewable energy portfolio, and the new natural gas unit would help ensure that the company is operating efficiently.
“Because of falling renewable energy prices, and changing customer expectations on how they receive their energy, we are able to offer more sustainable solutions,” Rodriguez said. “Today’s announcement further underscores our responsibility to both increase and enhance our power generation capability while simultaneously meeting our regional customers’ changing needs in a safe, clean, reliable, and cost-effective manner.”
The recent announcement about future projects is the latest step in meeting the above needs, but the company’s sustainable approach to energy is far from new. In 2016, EPE divested from the coal-fired generating plant Four Corners Generating Station, becoming the first company in Texas and New Mexico to go completely coal-free.
The move was the equivalent of removing two billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, according to the company’s press release. At the time, EPE had also expressed a promise to increase future investment in solar; now, that promise is coming to fruition. Investing in local facilities also helps the company deepen its expressed commitment to being a good neighbor and supporting the local community.
Serving the Rio Grande Valley in West Texas and southern New Mexico, EPE may soon become a regional leader in renewable energy if its plans go smoothly.
To learn more about El Paso Electric and the company’s commitment to providing safe and clean energy, visit epelectric.com.
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