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New Mexico reached the 50% renewable-energy target set for 2030 under its 2019 Energy Transition Act in 2024, according to the source report. Public Service Company of New Mexico says 80% of its electricity was carbon-free last year and is seeking approval for a new wind, solar and battery portfolio that also includes a small gas peaker plant.
New Mexico reached its 2030 target of 50% renewable electricity in 2024, six years ahead of schedule, according to a Canary Media report on the state’s clean-energy progress. The milestone comes as the state’s largest utility, Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), seeks regulatory approval for nearly 1.7 gigawatts of wind, solar and battery projects—plus a 40-megawatt gas plant—to meet rising electricity demand.
The state’s 2019 Energy Transition Act requires investor-owned utilities to obtain 50% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2030, 80% by 2040 and reach 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045. The report says New Mexico met the first benchmark in 2024 and continued adding clean generation. These targets apply to investor-owned utilities; the 2024 milestone is reported as a statewide achievement.
PNM, the state’s largest utility, reported that 80% of its electricity was carbon-free last year. That measure is not identical to the state’s renewable target: carbon-free power can include sources such as nuclear energy, while renewable power refers to sources such as wind and solar. PNM’s record peak demand is 2.3 gigawatts, and it has 5 gigawatts of installed nameplate capacity, according to the report.
In May, PNM asked regulators to approve a proposed package consisting of 800 megawatts of wind, 240 megawatts of solar and 610 megawatts of battery storage, along with a 40-megawatt gas peaker called La Luz II. The utility says the resources work as a package to meet reliability requirements. The proposal could support PNM’s planned exit, in July 2031, from its 200-megawatt share of the Four Corners coal plant.
Clean Power Meets Rising Demand
The early target achievement gives New Mexico a head start on the next stages of its electricity transition, but it does not settle how the state will supply power in every hour. The source report says electricity consumption is expected to grow 40% by 2032. More generation and storage would be needed not only to displace fossil-fuel power, but also to serve additional demand.
Wind and solar output varies with weather and time of day. PNM says batteries and other resources are needed to balance that variability, while the proposed gas plant has become a point of dispute. The regulatory decision could shape how the utility weighs reliability, emissions and customer costs as it pursues the state’s longer-term targets.
The development also matters beyond utility planning. The report describes concerns about the effect of PNM’s pending takeover by private-equity firm Blackstone and the difficulty of supporting fossil-fuel workers through the transition. The state’s progress on renewable generation does not, by itself, resolve those questions.
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From 2019 Targets to PNM’s Plan
The Energy Transition Act established a staged timetable for investor-owned utilities: 50% renewable by 2030, 80% by 2040 and 100% carbon-free by 2045. Reaching the first threshold in 2024 puts New Mexico ahead of that schedule, but the later goals require continuing changes to the generation mix.
New Mexico’s wide, arid landscapes and wind resources have helped make wind and solar development possible, the report says. PNM’s planning team also models whether available resources can cover demand throughout the day and across future conditions, including periods when wind and solar output is low. The proposed batteries would store electricity for later use; the plan includes a mix of four-hour and eight-hour battery duration.
PNM says other firm, carbon-free technologies, including long-duration storage and advanced geothermal, are not currently available to it at economic prices or are years from commercial use. The utility also has access to a small amount of nuclear power from Arizona. Those factors form part of its stated case for the proposed portfolio, rather than evidence that a gas plant is the only possible option.
““The whole thing is interdependent, and I can only meet the reliability and resource adequacy metrics with the whole package.””
— Laurie Williams, PNM senior vice president for integrated planning and transmission development
Gas Plant and Ownership Questions
Regulators have not yet made a final decision on PNM’s proposed portfolio, including the La Luz II gas peaker. Environmental groups oppose adding another fossil-fuel plant, arguing that it conflicts with the state’s commitment to phase out fossil fuels. The utility argues the plant is necessary to meet reliability and resource-adequacy requirements. The dispute remains before regulators.
It is also unclear how the pending Blackstone takeover of PNM could affect the utility’s future investment choices or clean-energy plans. The report says customers are concerned about that possibility but does not establish what decisions a new owner would make. The effects of the proposal on customer bills and the transition for fossil-fuel workers are also not specified in the source material.
Regulators Weigh PNM’s Proposal
New Mexico regulators are reviewing PNM’s proposed generation and storage package. The report says hearings took place in October, with additional hearings scheduled for January to examine the gas plant specifically. Those proceedings will help determine whether the proposal advances as requested or is changed.
Further decisions will show how PNM intends to maintain reliable service while demand rises and it moves toward leaving its Four Corners coal stake in July 2031. The state’s 2040 renewable and 2045 carbon-free targets remain longer-term benchmarks; reaching the 2030 milestone early does not establish how the later goals will be met.
Key Questions
What clean-energy target has New Mexico already met?
The source report says New Mexico reached the Energy Transition Act’s 50% renewable electricity target in 2024, ahead of its 2030 deadline.
What are the state’s later energy targets?
The 2019 law sets targets for investor-owned utilities of 80% renewable electricity by 2040 and 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045.
What is PNM asking regulators to approve?
PNM has proposed 800 megawatts of wind, 240 megawatts of solar, 610 megawatts of battery storage and a 40-megawatt gas peaker plant called La Luz II.
Why is the gas plant controversial?
Some environmental groups say building a new fossil-fuel plant conflicts with the state’s commitment to phase out fossil fuels. PNM says the plant is part of the package needed to meet reliability and resource-adequacy requirements. Regulators have not made a final decision.
Does PNM’s 80% carbon-free figure mean it is 80% renewable?
No. Carbon-free and renewable are different measures: carbon-free electricity can include nuclear power, while renewable sources include wind and solar. The report gives PNM’s carbon-free share separately from the state’s renewable target.
Source: rss
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