How A Small Agency with a Funny Name is Powering Energy Transmission Across New Mexico By Robert “Bob” Busch

I’d like to tell you about a state authority probably never heard of. It started almost 20 years ago, and it’s got a funny little acronym—RETA. It stands for the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority, and I’ve had the privilege of serving as its chair for most of its life.

New Mexico has always had three things in abundance: wide-open space, gusty winds, and powerful sunshine. For decades, folks looked at those resources and saw potential. But potential doesn’t power homes or businesses unless you can move that energy to where it’s needed. That’s where RETA comes in.

Back in 2007, when RETA was created, the problem was straightforward: we could generate renewable energy, but we didn’t have enough transmission lines to carry it across long distances. Without those lines, many projects just sat on the drawing board. RETA was designed to solve that problem and give transmission projects tools to get built.

Let me take a step back for a moment, because this part doesn’t always get explained. In the United States, for many years power plants were built close to cities where electricity demand is high. That made sense at the time. It also meant we didn’t build many big transmission lines connecting different regions. Fast forward to today, and the picture is far more complicated. The best wind and solar resources aren’t sitting next to our biggest cities. Rather, they’re often far away, out in places like rural New Mexico. If we want to use that clean energy, we need high-voltage transmission lines to carry it long distances. Right now, there’s a real and growing need for more of that infrastructure.

Over the past two decades, RETA has quietly helped make that happen. We’ve worked to bring together public and private partners, reduce financial and regulatory risk, and move big ideas into reality. In doing so, we’ve helped unlock billions in investment, create jobs -- especially in rural communities -- and position New Mexico as a major exporter of renewable energy.

One project we’re proud of is Western Spirit. It’s part of the PNM grid and marked the first major high-voltage transmission project in New Mexico in decades. Quite simply, it wouldn’t have happened without RETA’s involvement.

And we’re not slowing down. Our SunZia Transmission Project,now coming online, is the largest renewable transmission project in the Western Hemisphere. SunZia will carry thousands of megawatts of wind energy from central New Mexico to markets across the West. That means more clean energy on the grid, stability in the system, and economic opportunity for our state.

At the same time, we’ve been working on the Crossroads–Hobbs–Roadrunner Transmission Project in southeastern New Mexico. That region is growing fast, both in terms of energy production and demand. This project strengthens the grid, improves reliability, and makes room for even more renewable energy while supporting the industries that are already there.

After more than 40 years in the energy business, I can tell you this: transitions like the one we’re in don’t happen by accident. They take planning, persistence, and a willingness to invest in things that may not grab headlines but make all the difference.

RETA has played its part. It’s not flashy, and most people won’t ever hear about it. But its impact is real, and it’s growing.

As demand for clean energy keeps rising, the work we’ve started is only going to become more important. I believe New Mexico has a chance to lead, not just because of our natural resources, but because we’ve been willing to build the infrastructure to use them.

Sometimes, it all starts with something as simple and as overlooked as a little agency with a funny name.

Robert “Bob” Busch has more than 40 years of energy experience ranging from international strategic energy consulting to serving as chief financial officer for two major U.S. utilities. He serves as chair of the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority.