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Affordable Solar Breaks Ground on New Mexico’s First Community Solar Project

This is a great step forward in New Mexico's expansion of renewable energy. Now that the first state rules are finalized, construction has begun for these community solar farms. 200 megawatts of community solar farms have been approved for the first phase and another 300 megawatts for the second phase.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the first one (35MW) is in Belen tomorrow.

This is a triple win for our state:

1. Individuals who receive power from the three for-profit electric utilities (PNM, EPE, and Excel/SPS) will have the opportunity to reduce their electric costs by subscribing to these programs.

2. 500MW of new small solar projects are coming online with distributed ownership. Non-profits could own and operate some of these.

3. Roughly 30% of the subscriptions are set aside for low income New Mexicans to help them save on electricity costs.

Our Third Act Democratize Energy campaign (recently renamed to Power Up Communities) advocated for expansion of this program at the Public Relations Commission.

Get in touch if you want to help with further advocacy. We hope to see expansion of the program in the future, lower its costs, and encourage non-profits to become owners.

More info here

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