A 190-megawatt solar and battery storage facility has begun operations in Rio Rancho, marking one of the largest utility-scale energy storage installations in the region.
Exus Renewables North America completed the $312 million TAG Solar + Storage project on 1,000 acres in Sandoval County. The facility combines 140 megawatts of solar generation with 50 megawatts of battery storage capacity.
The project will supply clean energy to Public Service Company of New Mexico’s grid and help power Meta’s data center in Los Lunas. Energy generated from the site supports both companies’ renewable energy goals.
PNM is working toward 100% renewable energy by 2040, five years ahead of the state’s 2045 renewable portfolio standard requirement for utilities.
The project, which began last year, supported more than 250 temporary jobs during construction and is expected to generate over $17 million in tax revenue for Sandoval County and local schools over 30 years, according to a press release.
Exus developed the project in partnership with Gridworks, an Albuquerque-based solar and energy storage solutions company. Gridworks and workforce agencies helped train and employ New Mexicans during development.
The facility features 59 Tesla Megapacks, 2,812 solar tracker rows and 261 miles of cabling. Array Technologies, another Albuquerque-based company, provided solar tracking equipment for the site.