The Santa Teresa solar and storage facility has officially broken ground in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, becoming the first of its kind in the state. This project was developed by Distributed Energy Solar Resources, Inc. (DESRI). It is an important milestone, marking a big step forward for renewable energy’s presence across the Southeastern region. The Santa Teresa project is DESRI’s second initiative within El Paso Electric’s (EPE) service area, following the Carne project that began construction in 2024.
After an aggressive construction schedule, the Santa Teresa project is now poised to provide enough clean, renewable electricity to power 60,000 homes. It will provide a strong local energy contribution. The project includes an ambitious 150 megawatt (MW) solar facility. In addition, it features a battery energy storage system (BESS) that can store a staggering 600 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy. This potent combination will increase the reliability and sustainability of the energy supply across the rapidly growing region.
Project Details and Impact
With construction of the Santa Teresa solar and storage project starting in 2025, there is a significant and growing commitment to clean energy. The project operates under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with EPE. This partnership provides a steady stream of clean, renewable energy to customers.
Hy Martin, chief development officer of DESRI, placed great emphasis on the project’s significance. It’s his firm belief that it is essential in creating and implementing a sustainable energy future.
“The Santa Teresa project is a cornerstone of DESRI’s growing partnership with El Paso Electric and a prominent example of how cost-effective solar and storage assets can power New Mexico’s future.” – Hy Martin
This combined initiative strengthens the entire region’s clean energy capacity. It would send a powerful message for any future renewable energy development to follow in New Mexico.
Community Benefits
The Santa Teresa solar and storage project was purposely built to provide long-term benefits well beyond solar energy production. Reasor Timmons For EPE, the effect of the project goes beyond just producing cleaner electricity.
“This project is about more than adding solar power – it’s about delivering lasting value to the communities and businesses we serve. By providing clean energy and added capacity to the entire region, we’re strengthening reliability, supporting sustainability and investing in future economic development growth.” – Dave Hawkins
The action demonstrates a move away from a paradigm of development that favored polluting energy sources over environmental protection and community health.
Future Prospects
As construction progresses, stakeholders anticipate that the Santa Teresa solar and storage project will usher in a new era of renewable energy for New Mexico. Combining cutting-edge solar with remarkable energy storage talent, this project is the first of its kind to get national interest. Consequently, it’s an exemplary model of today’s emerging energy industry.
With DESRI’s commitment to expanding its presence within EPE’s service area, more projects like Santa Teresa could emerge, further enhancing the region’s renewable energy infrastructure.
