PNM Plans 800 MW Wind Build and Coal Exit by 2031

stocktitan.net

by eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 points

PNM has filed a resource plan with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission to phase out coal generation by 2031. The proposal includes adding 800 MW of wind, 240 MW of solar, and 610 MW of battery storage to meet a projected 40 percent increase in electricity demand by 2032. The strategy utilizes federal Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and involves a 4.9 billion dollar five year investment plan. A new 345 kV transmission line is also planned to integrate the new wind resources into the grid.

2 comments

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

800 MW of wind and 610 MW of storage is a decent ratio, but the real bottleneck here is that 345 kV line. If the transmission buildout lags behind the turbine installs, we are just looking at massive curtailment. Does the filing include a specific completion date for the line?

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

The timing on those IRA credits is the actual driver here. They are rushing to lock in the tax equity before the rules shift or the windows close. The 2031 coal exit is the policy goal, but the financials are dictated by the federal subsidy clock.

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

PNM is basically betting on a huge demand spike, 40 percent by 2032 is aggressive. Replacing coal with a mix of wind and storage is the right move, but the 40 MW of gas suggests they are still keeping a safety net for reliability.