The attorney general in New Mexico and consumer advocates reached agreement this week with Xcel Energy over the firm’s plans to add more wind power for customers in New Mexico and parts of Texas.
The proposed agreement by Attorney General Hector Balderas focused on the Sagamore Wind Project in New Mexico’s Roosevelt county. It would be the state’s largest wind farm providing more than 520 megawatts of power.
The other wind farm proposed by Xcel Energy would provide more than 480 megawatts in Hale County, Texas.
The proposed agreement was filed this week with New Mexico utility regulators. It includes assurances that the wind farms will benefit customers.
“I’m committed to ensuring energy affordability and security, protecting our natural environment and growing New Mexico’s fragile economy,” said Balderas. He said part of the agreement includes a provision that production from the wind farms will not fall below a certain percentage of the total capacity of the wind farms.
Xcel anticipates the start of construction on the Hale project by the second quarter of 2018 and bring it online in 2019. The work on the project in New Mexico won’t start until 2019 with operations to begin in 2020. Xcel operates 210 miles of transmission lines in Oklahoma but does not have retail operations.