Power
for the Plains
Powering New Mexico
Energizing Milestones
The New Mexico grid expansion is becoming a reality. In 2015, Xcel Energy
invested more than $200 million building over 250 miles of transmission and
distribution lines and seven new substations in New Mexico. Nearly 200 miles
of transmission and distribution line is scheduled to be complete in the region
in 2016. Xcel Energy is currently permitting and planning for over a dozen
additional transmission projects in Lea and Eddy counties.
As part of the Power for the Plains initiative, Xcel Energy has built nearly
600 miles of new transmission lines since 2011 in New Mexico and Texas.
Nearly 500 miles of additional transmission line is planned to be constructed
in the region through 2020.
Why expand the Grid?
The grid expansion is in response to growth in oil development, potash mining,
natural gas processing and other industrial and business expansion. These
projects will also meet the electricity demands of local communities ensuring
they have reliable electricity to grow, while opening up the market for renewable
generation, including wind and solar.
Crews set a structure about 25 miles west of Jal,
New Mexico.
2015 New Mexico Transmission Accomplishments
Project
Voltage
Estimated In-service date
length
Potash-Junction Roadrunner
230 kV
42 miles
October 27, 2015
Battle Axe-Roadrunner
115 kV
20 miles
November 12, 2015
Hopi-North Loving-China Draw
115 kV
27 miles
May 25, 2015
Quahada Switching Station
115 kV
N/A
July 9, 2015
Pleasant Hill-Oasis-Roosevelt
230 kV
42 miles
January 27, 2015
Xcel Energy built the Crossroads Substation
outside of Portales to interconnect the new
250 MW Roosevelt Wind Farm.
powerfortheplains.com
Southeast New Mexico Transmission Expansion
Pleasant Hill
60
£
¤
Curry Co
Construction
City of
Clovis
Oasis
Permitting
Kilgore
Completed
Roosevelt Co
Substation
Portales (Loop)
£
¤
285
NM
!
(
206
70
£
¤
Chaves Co
TX
£
¤
380
City of
Roswell
Roswell
£
¤
285
Eagle Creek
82
£
¤
Artesia Town
Artesia South
Atoka
Potash Jct
PCA
Hobbs
Monument
Quahada Tap
Byrd Tap
Kiowa
City of
Carlsbad
Livingston Ridge
Hopi
Wood
Draw
I
China
Draw
!
(
18
NEF
Cardinal
Sage Brush
North Loving
Yeso Hills
City of
Hobbs
Roadrunner Custer Mtn
Andrews
Targa
Teague
Whitten
Battle Axe
Ponderosa
Document Path: S:\General-Offices-GO-Trans\SLR-Mapping\GIS_Projects_2016\Power_for_the_Plains\mxd\SPS_Project_Updates_NM_February_2016.mxd
Distribution Accomplishments
Xcel Energy continues to expand the distribution system to
meet the additional load growth in New Mexico. Approximately
300 miles of distribution line were completed in the state
in the last two years, and in 2016, Xcel Energy expects over
100 additional distribution miles to be completed.
Xcel Energy: A reliable source of electricity
for more than a century
Xcel Energy’s Southwestern Public Service Company traces its
roots back to 1904’s Roswell Electric Light Company. Through
steady growth and the acquisition of other electric systems,
the Xcel Energy New Mexico and Texas service area now
covers more than 52,000 square miles. Overall, Xcel Energy’s
Southwestern Public Service Company operations include a
transmission control center in Amarillo and a distribution
control center in Lubbock; there are currently over 7,000 miles
of transmission lines, and nearly 16,000 miles of distribution
lines and nine generation facilities.
For more information on Xcel Energy’s role in meeting the
electrical needs of southeast New Mexico visit
Powerfortheplains.com.
xcelenergy.com | © 2015 Xcel Energy Inc. | Xcel Energy is a registered trademark of Xcel Energy Inc.
Public Service Company of Colorado, an Xcel Energy Company
3/15/2016