Today, a public-private partnership was approved by the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority (RETA), which voted in favor of entering into a joint development agreement to work with Invenergy Transmission to advance the New Mexico North Path (North Path) transmission project. The proposed 400-mile line will move up to four gigawatts of new renewable energy produced in northeastern New Mexico to the state’s Four Corners region, powering the equivalent of two million homes in New Mexico and across the Southwest.
Under the joint development agreement, the New Mexico North Path project will benefit from RETA's experience advancing transmission projects in the state and being a resource to help navigate local, state and federal processes. RETA’s review process coupled with its independent board – including a statewide elected official and members appointed by the executive and legislative branches of government – will provide a continual, objective, and thorough review of the project.
“New Mexico has some of the best wind and solar energy potential in the United States, and the New Mexico North Path transmission line represents a critically needed pathway for moving low-cost clean energy to consumers across the state and region who are demanding it,” said RETA Chairman, Bob Busch. “After a promising feasibility study and initial public outreach, RETA and Invenergy Transmission are proud to partner together on development of the New Mexico North Path project.”
New Mexico North Path will help to unlock a share of what RETA has estimated is $11 billion in untapped renewable energy investment potential in the state. The power will be injected into the New Mexico North Path line in Union County, which according to RETA is the top county in the state for wind energy potential. The project will create 3,500 jobs at family-sustaining wages during project construction and generate tens of millions of dollars in annual tax payments to Tribal, State, and Local governments. It will also support the renewable energy standard of 50% by 2030 of New Mexico’s Energy Transition Act.
“Projects like this require true partnerships to be successful, and this agreement between RETA and Invenergy Transmission represents an important early milestone for New Mexico North Path,” said Will Consuegra, Director of Transmission Development at Invenergy. “New Mexico North Path will deliver not only clean energy but a wide array of benefits across New Mexico, and we are glad this partnership with RETA shows the project is aligned with the state’s long term energy strategy and goals.”
In February 2021, RETA and Invenergy Transmission signed a Memorandum of Understanding to coordinate on a project feasibility study and initial public outreach for the New Mexico North Path project. Since then, the New Mexico North Path project team has engaged with important groups in the project study area, including parts of Union, Harding, San Miguel, Guadalupe, Santa Fe, Sandoval, McKinley and San Juan Counties. Early and on-going engagement with the Navajo Nation and Pueblo communities has helped to identify areas suitable for the Project. In addition to briefings with these Sovereign Nations, the project team hosted community open houses in Clayton, Roy, Las Vegas, Moriarty, and Santa Rosa, New Mexico; and has initiated public outreach activities in the western part of the study area. New Mexico North Path has also gathered community leaders for multiple Community Working Group sessions for local input. RETA has been instrumental in supporting these public outreach efforts.
About New Mexico North Path
New Mexico North Path is a proposed state-of-the-art high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line that will deliver up to four gigawatts of clean domestically produced energy from northeastern New Mexico to the Four Corners region, helping power New Mexico and other western states. New Mexico North Path will carry enough clean, domestically produced energy to power 2 million homes in New Mexico and other western states.
