Electricity for West Texas and Southern New Mexico | El Paso Electric | New Mexico - Interconnection of Facilities Greater Than 100kW and up to 10MW

New Mexico Interconnection Process for Facilities Greater Than 100 KW and up to 10 MW

Information for New Mexico Customers

Our interconnection proces will be undergoing scheduled maintance on Friday, September 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. During the maintenance window, the Ways to Apply and Fees will not be available. We apologize for any inconvenience.

El Paso Electric’s interpretation and policy with respect to the controlling statute is to limit participation under net metering to DG customers installing renewable energy systems with expected output less than or equal to 120 percent of the customer’s annual consumption of electricity. This limit is applied regardless of whether the DG system is owned by the customer or by a third-party. Customers with systems that exceed this size limitation are not eligible to participate in net metering.

It’s important to note that EPE does not limit customers from installing a DG system that will produce over 120% of customer’s annual consumption. This is a requirement only if customer wants to be on Net Metering in NM. If customer wants to install a system larger than their usage, they can do that, but they will have to choose between one of the following metering options, as specified in Rate No. 16 - Purchased Power:

Load Displacement or
Separate Load Metering

Customers interconnecting a distributed generation system like rooftop solar are not eligible to participate in the Sign-Up New Mexico Program or Budget Billing Plan. Customers currently enrolled in the Sign-Up New Mexico Program or Budget Billing will be automatically removed.

Information for Solar Contractors

Please use the information below as a reference for the Distributed Generation (DG) Renewable Energy Interconnection application process and its requirements.

If the system is built prior to gaining EPE approval, the customer risks paying for a system that does not meet EPE's interconnection requirements.

Please verify the customer is no longer participating in one of the following programs prior to requesting an inspection:

Sign-Up New Mexico

Budget Billing Plan

Note: Technical review approval of the one-line diagram is contingent upon wiring, inspections, and system installation. These must be in accordance to EPE's requirements book and must reflect the information provided in the one-line diagram.

Technical Requirements

Please review EPE’s Technical Requirements for Interconnection.
As of 9/4/2018, all installations must meet Neutral Requirements.
Please reference REC Meter Can Requirements
Note: All Customers with an existing water heater meter must have it rewired. After the water heater has been rewired, please call our Customer Service number in NM at 575-526-5555 to request the water heater meter to be removed by El Paso Electric. Please do not request EPE's solar system field inspection before submitting a request to remove water heater meter to EPE.
With each Application the customer shall include a simple one-line diagram and site diagram of no more than 10 megabytes in size of the proposed system with each signed original of the Application. One Line Diagram Requirements and Sample PDF
The one-line diagram shall identify all major equipment including the utility-accessible generation disconnect device and the EPE metering point.
Please verify the delivered service phase matches the installed generation phase, i.e., single phase service = single phase inverter, 3-phase service = 3-phase inverter.
All three-phase Y-connected systems require three-phase connected inverters.
Agreement for Direct Deposit (optional) may be submitted.

WAYS TO APPLY & FEES

Interconnection Application
- Click here to submit your Interconnection Application Electronically.
- User Guide
Expansion Interconnection Application
- Click here to submit your Expansion Interconnection Application.
- User Guide

Here is a high-level Interconnection Process to review before you get started.

New Mexico Application fees vary based on System Size

100kW+ = $100.00 + $1 for each additional kW above 100kW
Expansion Application Fee = $100.00 + $1 for each additional kW above 100KW

INSTALLATION

Upon receiving design approval to proceed and obtaining all applicable building permits as required by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), the contractor can then install the equipment according to the specifications approved by El Paso Electric (EPE) and the AHJ.

INSPECTION

After construction of the generation system has been completed and EPE has received final electrical inspection by the authority having jurisdiction, contractor must contact EPE at smallrenewables@epelectric.com to request field inspection and meter installation. The purpose of the inspection is to verify that facility construction conforms to the representation presented in the Agreement and its attachments.

Please do not energize your system until after EPE has performed its inspection and replaced the existing meter with a bi-directional meter.

SIGNED AGREEMENT

After the interconnection facility has been approved by EPE, EPE will identify the location as an EPE Distributed Generation (DG) Interconnection site by means of a label on the meter box or adjacent to the meter box. Along with written authorization, EPE will return one of the fully executed Agreement originals to the customer.

NET METERING

As a DG net metering customer, with an approved Interconnection Application, you will have bi-directional and REC meters installed by EPE. Net consumption is charged at the applicable rate and net production is credited based on EPE’s Fuel & Purchase Power Cost Adjustments.

New Mexico - Interconnection of Facilities Greater Than 100kW and up to 10MW