Xcel Energy (Texas) to buy New Mexico solar power

Texas Panhandle Xcel Energy customers will be getting more of their power from the sun thanks to the company agreeing to buy the output from two solar projects in New Mexico.

The company announced Thursday two contracts with affiliates of NextEra Energy Resources to add 140 megawatts of solar power to its generation mix pushing its total solar power in the region to almost 200 megawatts.

One megawatt of power is enough to run about 350 average Texas homes. However, solar facilities can’t produce 100 percent of their capacity all the time as is the case with wind farms.

“This purchase benefits customers in both New Mexico and Texas because we share a single generating and transmission network,” said Xcel spokesman Wes Reeves.

The new power will come from facilities in Chaves County near Roswell, N.M.

Read more: http://amarillo.com/news/local-news/2015-03-12/xcel-buy-nm-solar-power

Cross-posted in the New Mexico and Environment & Energy Groups.