Most Otero County Political Leadership Silent as States Largest Solar Plant Comes Online in Otero County, New Mexico

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Conservative Otero County, New Mexico is home to the Vista Energy Center in Chaparral, N.M., the state of New Mexico’s largest solar facility!

The facility, located near Chaparral in Otero County New Mexico, will supply enough electricity to power about 60,000 homes, according to EPE, which serves about 460,000 electricity customers in West Texas and southern New Mexico. It includes a back-up battery storage system that can supply 50 MW per hour of additional power for up to four hours after the sun goes down, according to renewable developer NextEra Energy Resources, which built the facility and will operate it for EPE over the next 30 years.

Where was the majority of Otero County political leadership, in speaking visibly in support, during the very public ribbon cutting?

In reporting by the traditional press; visible and making public statements in support of this project, that created needed local jobs in Otero County, were company officials during the ribbon cutting ceremony, as was New Mexico State Rep. Willie Madrid, who represents District 53 consisting of Dona Ana and Otero Counties.

Mr. Madrid is the highest ranking Democrat in Otero County to hold office.

(AlamogordoTownNews.com corrects a prior statement, in a recent article, we stated only 1 Democrat to hold office in Otero County. Previously we reported that Alamogordo City Commissioner, Sharon McDonald, was the single Democratic-office holder, in Otero County, New Mexico. We stand corrected; State Representative Willie Madrid, makes two.)

Stephanie Garcia Richard, commissioner of public lands for the New Mexico State Land Office; and Terry Mount, Dona Ana Community College professor and commercial technologies department chair also attended the ceremony. There were no press reports by the major press, nor were there released public statements by any other Otero County public officials being present at the ribbon cutting.

If any have local Otero County political leaders have a statement of support of this project, or were present for the ribbon cutting, and would like to issue a statement in support of renewable energy projects within the county, we will happily amend our coverage and publish their statement.

Garcia Richard tweeted that the facility “is the largest solar array ever constructed on state land & will generate $12 million in revenue for our schools!”

Other local officials commended the companies on their success, including El Paso City Council members Isabel Salcido, who represents District 5, and Art Fierro, who represents District 6.

Commentary: Jobs. 

Noticeably absent from press coverage of the ribbon cutting ceremony of New Mexico’s largest solar energy complex was Otero County District 51 State Representative, John Block who has expressed his opposition to renewable energy projects in the Albuquerque Journal on Sept 18th, 2022, all the while jobs were created by the largest solar project to date in the state of New Mexico in the fast growing economically challenged section of Otero County; Chaparral, New Mexico. While not within his district, one would expect solidarity and support of a job creator within Otero County as what happens in the Chaparral quadrant of Otero County impacts the county and the whole of county budgets and services.

Mr. Block in a prior interview specific to renewable energy said: “We must expand oil, gas and coal by striking bad legislation such as 2019’s enviro-Marxist Green New Deal (Energy Transition Act). Laws like this cripple energy producers and kill jobs. I will sponsor legislation to expand oil, gas and coal production while making it easier to do business in New Mexico.”

Facility Facts:

This new Otero County New Mexico based facility, dubbed the Buena Vista Energy Center, doubles the amount of solar generation now operating on EPE’s grid from 107 MW previously to 207 MW now. It’s the first of a number of newly-planned solar farms that EPE will inaugurate over the next three years as the company works to replace fossil fuels with renewable resources.

That includes another 150 MW solar system expected to come online next year, followed by more facilities in 2025 to increase total solar generation to 700 MW – or about 40% of EPE’s total electric production; according to company executives.

For now, EPE’s Buena Vista Energy Center is the largest solar facility currently operating in New Mexico and located in Otero County. NextEra Energy leased 2,700 acres of state trust land to accommodate the plant, which occupies about 1,200 acres.

The lease will generate about $12 million in revenue for the State Land Office over the 30-year life of the facility, said Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard.

Construction of the solar energy center site provides an economic boost to Otero County, N.M. The project is poised to provide more tax revenue to Otero county, that could be allocated for funding needed local roads, schools, and services in the economically challenged, fast growing, bedroom community of El Paso, called Chaparral, New Mexico.

The facility, located near Chaparral in Otero County New Mexico, will supply enough electricity to power about 60,000 homes, which is a greater number than all the homes located within the borders of Otero County, New Mexico.

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