After years of delays, New Mexico’s first community solar farm comes online

Some customers will finally save some money on their electricity bills as New Mexico’s first of many community solar projects has come online.

The five-megawatt Cuidando Los Niños Community Solar Project in Belen officially became “energized” last week. Officials celebrated the milestone with a ribbon-cutting on Tuesday.

“After years of hard work and collaboration, we are thrilled to celebrate the completion of this groundbreaking project,” Dylan Connelly, project developer at Affordable Solar, said in a statement. “This ribbon cutting is not just about renewable energy. It is about equity, access and giving back to the communities we serve.”

Affordable Solar developed the 32-acre site in partnership with Gridworks, a company focused on solar and energy storage solutions.

New Mexico passed the Community Solar Act in 2021, which aimed to create small-scale solar farms that residents and small businesses could opt to get energy from in place of installing rooftop panels.

A minimum of 30% of generated energy is reserved for low-income communities.

According to the state Public Regulation Commission, which is responsible for community solar rulings, 30 of 47 approved projects will be connected to the Public Service Company of New Mexico’s grid. Other utility territories include El Paso Electric with six and Southwestern Public Service Co. with 11.

Connelly told the Journal that Affordable Solar was awarded seven — the maximum number of projects per developer — out of 47 approved New Mexico community solar projects, totaling 35 megawatts. Company officials declined to comment on costs for the Valencia County site.

At least three other community solar projects broke ground earlier this year across Tularosa and Clovis, according to previous Journal reporting.

Customers — or in this case, subscribers — can opt in to the program as a way to save on their electric bills. Subscribers receive monthly credits on their electric bills based on the amount of solar energy their portion of the facility produces, according to the Coalition of Sustainable Communities New Mexico.

Bringing online community solar projects has been a long time coming, sparked in part by regulatory setbacks and an appeal to the New Mexico Supreme Court over how billing would ultimately work.

Solstice CEO and Co-founder Sandhya Murali acknowledged the slower pace at which these projects have become available, noting how the last several years have revolved around program design, interconnection processes with utilities involved and getting PRC approvals — all of which have been largely resolved.

“Over the next 12 to 18 months, I would say the vast majority of these 47 projects will get energized — knock on wood — and tens of thousands of people will start seeing savings on their bill within the next year,” said Murali, whose company is working with developers like Affordable Solar to sign up customers to the program.

Alaric Babej, PNM director of customer energy solutions, said while seeing the first solar farm come online is great, he’s most excited to see the first round of bill credits go out in November. He noted that being enrolled in the program doesn’t “change anything” when it comes to receiving power.

“The proof is in the pudding when the credits go out on bills and customers are able to see their participation truly start,” Babej said. “You’re going to continue getting your power. You’ll still get your PNM bill, just now with the bill credit on it.”