SHIPROCK N.M. – PNM is looking to add a new solar plant in the Four Corners. They have submitted their approval to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission for their new Sunbelt Project.

“We have asked for approval within the next nine months, and if approved, we can expect that the Sunbelt Project will be operational by May 1, 2028,” said Kelly Huber, a PNM spokesperson. 

PNM says the project will help provide grid reliability, continue their commitment to supporting the economy in the Farmington area, and helps meet our state’s carbon-free requirement act. 

“The Sunbelt Project, would be 100 megawatts of solar plus an additional 30 megawatts of battery storage,” said Huber. 

If approved, the new facility to be located within the Central Consolidated School District. 

CCSD says they support any economic development projects coming into the area.

“It’s these kinds of revenues that are going to impact student engagement, build better facilities, and help bring infrastructure for students. 98% of the Navajo Nation is all tax-exempt. So we can’t really rely on bonds, like how our neighboring areas like Farmington and Aztec and Bloomfield can ask their communities for tax bonds during the election seasons. For us, it’s just different because we only rely on that 2% for our revenue with property taxes,” said Jerrod Noble, a CCSD public relations supervisor. 

The 2% he’s talking about came from the San Juan Generating Station and the Four Corners Power Plant Station. However, with the closure of the San Juan Generating Station, CCSD says they lost about 40% of the tax revenue that went to the schools.

“So, bringing in another project like this is what’s going to help mitigate some of that lost revenue that was lost with the closure of the San Juan Generating Station,” said Noble.