For the past year, we have been working hard to keep you updated about various renewable energy projects that are breaking ground around New Mexico. Around this time last year, we profiled Western Spirit Transmission as a project to watch.
Well, thanks to your support and activism, we are proud to let you know that Western Spirit broke ground in January and is on track to be completed in the next year!
What does this mean for New Mexicans?
Western Spirit Transmission is set to bring 1.6 billion dollars of investment into our state. This means more high-paying jobs for local New Mexicans and a stable stream of revenue to grow our diversified energy economy, fund our schools, support first responders, and sustain long term investment in our rural communities. It’s no surprise that New Mexico will need major economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, and transmission projects like Western Spirit are going to be a critical part of our recovery effort.
Why is transmission needed?
Remember the wind and solar projects we have been writing about? Wind farms like Clines Corners Wind, Sagamore Wind, [La Joya], and Grady Martin will rely on Western Spirit Transmission to bring thousands of megawatts of power across New Mexico. That’s enough energy to power almost one million homes and businesses! Adding more transmission will help our state modernize our grid and reduce our demand for baseload power from our current energy providers. More transmission can bring New Mexico into a new era of energy generation!
This month, we plan to stay laser-focused on talking about transmission projects like Western Spirit to make sure our followers understand the importance of these infrastructure improvements. If you have questions or comments about transmission, feel free to drop a comment below!