Power Supply Chain and Demand in New Mexico
Vertically integrated utilities run most of New Mexico's grid. 3,965 MW of new generation is planned in New Mexico, 1,540 MW of it under construction or built and awaiting operation, against 354 MW of planned retirements through 2030. 27 data centers are identified in the state. Residential electricity averaged 15.08¢/kWh in 2026 through July, +2.8% from a year earlier. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, and construction employment is +12.3% against August 2019. The SAVRN trackers hold 12 local moratoria or restrictions for New Mexico across all statuses (8 in force) and 5 named projects on the Delay Watchlist.
What the build-out changed in New Mexico
New Mexico is building power faster than most states, and the jobs data shows it. Data processing and hosting jobs grew 103.1% from 2019 to 2025, 3rd of 46 states that disclose the industry. Power and communication line construction jobs grew 68.3% from 2019 to 2025 (5th of 44). Planned generation equals 22% of the power plants New Mexico runs today, one of the steepest build-outs in the country (15th). The weak spot: data center share of state gdp ranks 43rd of 51 at 1.1%. Factory employment is the exception: manufacturing jobs are -1.7% against August 2019.
Then and now
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction jobs (Aug 2019 → Aug 2026) | 51.3k | 57.6k | ▲ 12.3% | 28th of 48 |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,152 | 8,443 | ▲ 18.1% | 27th of 48 |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,543 | 2,597 | ▲ 68.3% | 5th of 44 |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 491 | 997 | ▲ 103.1% | 3rd of 46 |
| Unemployment rate (Feb 2020 → Aug 2026) | 5.3% | 4.7% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Residential price, ¢/kWh (YTD Jul 2025 → 2026) | 14.67¢ | 15.08¢ | ▲ 2.8% | 42nd of 51 |
| Generation fleet → planned additions | 18.2 GW operating | 4.0 GW planned | 22% of fleet | 15th of 51 |
Where New Mexico ranks among 51
1st = the most. Ranks cover every state and DC that publishes the figure.
Among its neighbors, New Mexico leads on data processing and hosting jobs, 2019 to 2025 (+103.1%), ahead of Utah (+42.1%).
County spotlight
Bernalillo County holds the most data centers on record in New Mexico (14), and its electrical contractor workforce changed +20.6% since 2019 to 3,954 jobs. The largest share of planned generation sits in San Juan County: 1,729 MW, led by Navajo Transitional Energy Company (natural gas).
Where New Mexico sits in the power system
- Grid operator
- Non-RTO (utility-run)
- Operating capacity
- 18.2 GW
- Planned generation
- 3,965 MW
- Under construction or built
- 1,540 MW
- Data centers identified
- 27
- Data center load in queues
- —
- Unemployment, Aug 2026
- 4.7%
- Residential price change
- +2.8%
Neighboring states are shaded. Select one to open its page.
New Mexico, county by county
33 counties in New Mexico. Planned generation sits in 14 of them, data centers stand in 4, and local measures are on record in 5. Pick a layer, then select a county for its full record.
County leaders
Counties on record 25
| County | Data centers | Planned MW | Building MW | Lead developer | Electrical contractor jobs | Change 2019–25 | Local measures | Watchlist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernalillo County | 14 | 250 MW | — | Corazon Energy Storage, LLC | 3,954 | ▲ 20.6% | — | — | |
| Valencia County | 6 | 203 MW | 203 MW | Star Light Energy Center | 637 | ▲ 9.3% | — | 1 | |
| Doña Ana County | 5 | 155 MW | 155 MW | Santa Teresa Solar | — | — | — | 1 | |
| Santa Fe County | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 (2 in force) | — | |
| San Juan County | — | 1,729 MW | 510 MW | Navajo Transitional Energy Company | 391 | — | — | — | |
| Lea County | — | 721 MW | 295 MW | Lydian Energy | 725 | ▼ 5.5% | — | 1 | |
| Otero County | — | 200 MW | 200 MW | Buena Vista Energy Center III, LLC | 125 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | |
| Roosevelt County | — | 200 MW | — | Blackwater Solar Center, LLC | 20 | ▼ 39.4% | — | — | |
| Union County | — | 190 MW | — | Gallegos Wind Farm LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| De Baca County | — | 158 MW | 158 MW | Windy Lane Energy Center, LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| McKinley County | — | 140 MW | — | Solariant Capital, LLC | 105 | ▲ 54.4% | — | — | |
| Luna County | — | 8 MW | 8 MW | USS Gold Solar LLC | 64 | ▲ 204.8% | — | — | |
| Sandoval County | — | 5 MW | 5 MW | Affordable Solar Silver City, LLC | 356 | ▲ 73.7% | — | — | |
| Grant County | — | 5 MW | 5 MW | Standard Solar | 69 | ▲ 50.0% | 1 (0 in force) | — | |
| Hidalgo County | — | 2 MW | 2 MW | USS Fletcher Solar LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| Eddy County | — | — | — | — | 453 | ▲ 26.5% | — | — | |
| Chaves County | — | — | — | — | 95 | — | — | 1 | |
| Rio Arriba County | — | — | — | — | 79 | ▲ 16.2% | — | — | |
| San Miguel County | — | — | — | — | 53 | ▲ 6.0% | — | — | |
| Taos County | — | — | — | — | 53 | ▼ 19.7% | — | — | |
| Lincoln County | — | — | — | — | 34 | ▲ 70.0% | — | — | |
| Cibola County | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | — | |
| Sierra County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Socorro County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 (2 in force) | — | |
| Colfax County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — |
Every county in New Mexico 33
Each county has its own page: power plants, utilities and prices, jobs since 2019, data centers, local rules and its neighbors.
Cities and towns on record 12
| City or town | County | Data centers | Local measures | Watchlist | Latest record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | Bernalillo County | 12 | — | — | — | |
| Los Lunas | Valencia County | 6 | — | — | — | |
| Kirtland AFB | Bernalillo County | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Las Cruces | Doña Ana County | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Santa Fe | Santa Fe County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Santa Teresa | Doña Ana County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| White Sands | Doña Ana County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Clovis | Curry County | — | 1 (0 in force) | — | 120-day data center moratorium voted down Failed / vetoed | |
| Doña Ana County | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | New Mexico Supreme Court rejects 2 Project Jupiter challenges, allows permitting process to resume In force | |
| Haaland | — | — | 1 (0 in force) | — | Haaland backs data center moratorium in New Mexico Proposed | |
| Raton | Colfax County | — | 1 (0 in force) | — | Proposed city moratorium on data centers Failed / vetoed | |
| Rio Communities | Valencia County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | City moratorium on data centers through August 26, 2027 In force |
Data center counts come from every facility on the SAVRN Data Center Map, counted in the county and the city or community where each building physically stands (Census boundaries), not its mailing address. Jurisdictions appear as the Moratorium Tracker records them.
New Mexico, from generation to the household bill
1Grid operator
Utility-run territory: resource planning sits with the vertically integrated utilities and the state commission.
2Generation pipeline
- Operating capacity
- 18.2 GW
- Planned, all types
- 3,965 MW
- Under construction or built
- 1,540 MW
- Planned gas
- 1,149 MW
- Planned retirements 2026–30
- 354 MW
- Net firm additions derived
- 1,186 MW
3Data center demand
- Data centers identified
- 27
- Operators
- 19
- Load in tracked queues
- —
- Utility large-load projects
- 1
- Commercial sales, YTD change
- -0.3%
- Industry share of state GDP
- 1.1%
4Jobs and pay
- Unemployment, Aug 2026
- 4.7% (+0.6 pts y/y)
- Construction jobs vs 2019
- +12.3%
- Manufacturing jobs vs 2019
- -1.7%
- Electrical contractor jobs 2019–25
- +18.1%
- Electrician median pay
- $58,390
- Electrician ÷ cashier pay
- 1.94×
5Household bill
- Residential price, YTD Jul 2026
- 15.08¢/kWh
- Change vs YTD 2025
- +2.8%
- All-sector price change
- -6.4%
- Total retail sales change
- +5.7%
6Policy friction
- State measures on record
- 4
- Local measures (in force)
- 12 (8)
- Watchlist projects
- 5
- Lawsuits tracked
- 0
- Announced capital, disclosed
- —
- Dedicated tax incentive
- None listed
Planned power plants in New Mexico
Every planned generator in New Mexico in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, by technology, then the 15 largest units. Under construction or built covers status codes U, V and TS.
| Technology | Units | Planned MW | Under construction or built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 19 | 1,698 MW | 882 MW |
| Natural gas | 21 | 1,149 MW | 60 MW |
| Battery storage | 10 | 928 MW | 598 MW |
| Wind | 1 | 190 MW | — |
Largest planned generators
| Plant | County | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC Ranch II | Lea | Solar Photovoltaic | 230 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Lydian Energy |
| Tip Top Solar Energy Center LLC | Lea | Solar Photovoltaic | 220 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Invenergy Services LLC |
| Blackwater Solar Center - NM | Roosevelt | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Blackwater Solar Center, LLC |
| Cunningham Solar II | Lea | Solar Photovoltaic | 196 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Southwestern Public Service Co |
| Gallegos Wind Farm, Phase 1 | Union | Onshore Wind Turbine | 190 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Gallegos Wind Farm LLC |
| Foxtail Flats Solar, LLC | San Juan | Solar Photovoltaic | 170 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Foxtail Flats Solar, LLC |
| Santa Teresa Solar | Dona Ana | Batteries | 150 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Santa Teresa Solar |
| Corazon Energy Storage | Bernalillo | Batteries | 150 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Corazon Energy Storage, LLC |
| Rockmont Solar and Storage Project | San Juan | Solar Photovoltaic | 100 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | 201LC 8me LLC |
| Four Mile Mesa Solar, LLC | San Juan | Batteries | 100 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Four Mile Mesa Solar, LLC |
| Four Mile Mesa Solar, LLC | San Juan | Solar Photovoltaic | 100 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Four Mile Mesa Solar, LLC |
| Oso Negro | Bernalillo | Batteries | 100 MW | Approvals received | 2028 | Oso Negro, LLC |
| Buena Vista Energy Center III | Otero | Batteries | 100 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Buena Vista Energy Center III, LLC |
| Buena Vista Energy Center III | Otero | Solar Photovoltaic | 100 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Buena Vista Energy Center III, LLC |
| Star Light Energy Center | Valencia | Solar Photovoltaic | 100 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Star Light Energy Center |
What the New Mexico build-out runs on
Who is building generation in New Mexico, which manufacturers and contractors have a plant, expansion or contract recorded here, and how long the critical equipment takes to arrive.
Developers and owners with planned generation
| Developer or owner | Units | Planned MW | Building MW | Main technology | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navajo Transitional Energy Company | 18 | 1,089 MW | — | Natural gas | 1 |
| Lydian Energy | 2 | 305 MW | 75 MW | Solar | 1 |
| Foxtail Flats Solar, LLC | 2 | 250 MW | 250 MW | Battery storage | 1 |
| Invenergy Services LLC | 1 | 220 MW | 220 MW | Solar | 1 |
| Blackwater Solar Center, LLC | 1 | 200 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Buena Vista Energy Center III, LLC | 2 | 200 MW | 200 MW | Battery storage | 1 |
| Four Mile Mesa Solar, LLC | 2 | 200 MW | 200 MW | Solar | 1 |
| Star Light Energy Center | 2 | 200 MW | 200 MW | Battery storage | 1 |
| Southwestern Public Service Co | 1 | 196 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Gallegos Wind Farm LLC | 1 | 190 MW | — | Wind | 1 |
| Windy Lane Energy Center, LLC | 2 | 158 MW | 158 MW | Battery storage | 1 |
| Corazon Energy Storage, LLC | 1 | 150 MW | — | Battery storage | 1 |
| Santa Teresa Solar | 1 | 150 MW | 150 MW | Battery storage | 1 |
| Solariant Capital, LLC | 2 | 140 MW | — | Battery storage | 1 |
| 201LC 8me LLC | 2 | 130 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
Manufacturers and contractors with a recorded New Mexico footprint
No plant, expansion or contract in the manufacturer record names New Mexico. The national suppliers below serve every state.
Order-by check derived
27 of the 27 planned units of 50 MW or more in New Mexico that are not yet under construction (2,395 of 2,395 MW) are past the date their step-up transformer had to be ordered to meet the planned in-service date. These units hold their schedules only if the equipment is already on order.
| Plant | Technology | MW | Planned in service | Transformer order-by | Turbine order-by | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC Ranch II | Solar | 230 MW | Jun 2029 | May 2026 | — | Lydian Energy |
| Blackwater Solar Center - NM | Solar | 200 MW | Dec 2027 | Nov 2024 | — | Blackwater Solar Center, LLC |
| Cunningham Solar II | Solar | 196 MW | Apr 2027 | Mar 2024 | — | Southwestern Public Service Co |
| Gallegos Wind Farm, Phase 1 | Wind | 190 MW | Nov 2028 | Oct 2025 | — | Gallegos Wind Farm LLC |
| Corazon Energy Storage | Battery storage | 150 MW | Sep 2027 | Aug 2024 | — | Corazon Energy Storage, LLC |
| Rockmont Solar and Storage Project | Solar | 100 MW | Dec 2027 | Nov 2024 | — | 201LC 8me LLC |
| Oso Negro | Battery storage | 100 MW | May 2028 | Apr 2025 | — | Oso Negro, LLC |
| Wildcat Solar Power Plant LLC | Solar | 90 MW | Dec 2028 | Nov 2025 | — | Solariant Capital, LLC |
| NTEC Gas Plant | Natural gas | 60 MW | Jun 2028 | May 2025 | — | Navajo Transitional Energy Company |
| NTEC Gas Plant | Natural gas | 60 MW | Jun 2028 | May 2025 | — | Navajo Transitional Energy Company |
| NTEC Gas Plant | Natural gas | 60 MW | Jun 2028 | May 2025 | — | Navajo Transitional Energy Company |
| NTEC Gas Plant | Natural gas | 60 MW | Jun 2028 | May 2025 | — | Navajo Transitional Energy Company |
Lead times, OEM backlogs and the national generation and grid contractors are on the national supply chain section.
Data center and large-load demand in New Mexico
27 data centers run by 19 operators are identified in New Mexico. The full list by city is on the New Mexico Data Center Map page. Utilities report 1 large customer projects here to EEI.
| Utility | Customer or type | MW stated | Investment stated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNM (TXNM) | Meta | — | $800 million |
The New Mexico jobs report, and who the build-out employs
Payroll employment, August 2026 (preliminary)
| Industry | Jobs | Change vs Aug 2025 | Change vs Aug 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 907.4k | ▲ 1.6% | ▲ 5.7% (+49.1k) |
| Construction | 57.6k | ▲ 4.7% | ▲ 12.3% (+6.3k) |
| Manufacturing | 28.2k | ▲ 1.4% | ▼ 1.7% (-0.5k) |
| Mining and logging | 26.5k | ▲ 5.6% | ▲ 1.1% (+0.3k) |
| Retail trade | 97.8k | ▲ 3.5% | ▲ 9.3% (+8.3k) |
Power and data industries, 2019 to 2025
| Industry | Jobs 2019 | Jobs 2025 | Change | Average pay 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data processing and hosting | 491 | 997 | ▲ 103.1% | $143,827 |
| Electrical contractors | 7,152 | 8,443 | ▲ 18.1% | $77,364 |
| Power and communication line construction | 1,543 | 2,597 | ▲ 68.3% | $98,857 |
| Electric power generation, transmission, distribution | — | 2,699 | — | $114,528 |
| Transformer manufacturing | — | not disclosed | — | — |
Pay ladder, May 2025
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual pay | Multiple of cashier pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashiers | 19,020 | $30,120 | 1.00× |
| Fast food and counter workers | 28,250 | $28,700 | 0.95× |
| Retail salespersons | 23,800 | $33,300 | 1.11× |
| All occupations | 870,970 | $47,210 | 1.57× |
| Construction laborers | 12,470 | $38,400 | 1.27× |
| Welders | 2,390 | $59,840 | 1.99× |
| HVAC mechanics | 1,950 | $50,270 | 1.67× |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | 2,830 | $61,440 | 2.04× |
| Electricians | 5,020 | $58,390 | 1.94× |
| Power plant operators | 130 | $105,510 | 3.50× |
| Power-line installers | 1,020 | $76,470 | 2.54× |
| Construction supervisors | 6,790 | $75,130 | 2.49× |
| Electrical engineers | 2,560 | $158,520 | 5.26× |
County-level contractor jobs and pay are in the county record above.
What the data center industry adds to New Mexico
PwC figures are modeled estimates commissioned by the industry.
The rules and the pipeline in New Mexico
State measures 4
| Bill | Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Order | Data center moratorium | Proposed | 2026-09 | |
| Announced bill (2027 session) | Proposed statewide data center moratorium | Proposed | 2026-08 | |
| Proposed statewide moratorium on data centers | Proposed statewide moratorium on data centers | Proposed | 2026-07 | |
| SB 235 | New Mexico: SB 235 (Microgrid Oversight Act) would have required the Public Regulation Commission to develop rules for any microgrid producing more than 20 MW | Failed / vetoed | 2026-01 |
Delay Watchlist projects 5
| Project | Location | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Jupiter (Santa Teresa / Doña Ana County) | Santa Teresa (Doña Ana County) | litigation active | — | ||
| Project Zenith (Roswell) | Roswell (Chaves County) | pending review | — | ||
| Meta Los Lunas Expansion (Phase 3) | Los Lunas (Valencia County) | pending review | — | ||
| Google Lea County data center | Lea County | pending review | — | ||
| Green Chile Project (gas pipeline for Project Jupiter) | Dona Ana County (Project Jupiter pipeline) | denied | — |
Local moratoria and restrictions (12) appear by county and city in the county-by-county section. Counts include every status in the weekly tracker feeds as of October 5, 2026. The New Mexico Data Center Map page counts only active local pauses and delayed or blocked projects as of its September 2 rebuild, so its figures are lower. The difference is one of definition and date.
New Mexico's neighbors
New Mexico power, answered from the record
How much new power generation is planned in New Mexico?
EIA's August 2026 inventory lists 3,965 MW of planned generators in New Mexico, 1,540 MW of it under construction or built. By capacity the pipeline is solar 43%, natural gas 29%, battery storage 23%. The largest single unit is AC Ranch II (230 MW, Lydian Energy). Owners plan to retire 354 MW from 2026 to 2030.
Who runs the power grid in New Mexico?
Non-RTO (utility-run) serves most of New Mexico, which means vertically integrated utilities plan and dispatch generation under the state commission. No data center load is tracked in its queues yet.
Is planned generation in New Mexico on schedule?
27 of 27 planned units of 50 MW or more not yet under construction are past the latest date to order a step-up transformer (more than 160 weeks) for their planned in-service date. They hold schedule only if equipment is already on order.
Are electricity prices rising in New Mexico?
Residential electricity averaged 15.08¢/kWh from January to July 2026, +2.8% on a year earlier, the 42nd fastest increase of 51. Commercial sales, the class that includes data centers, changed -0.3%.
Which counties in New Mexico have the most planned generation?
By planned nameplate capacity: San Juan County (1,729 MW), Lea County (721 MW), Bernalillo County (250 MW).
Which utilities report large-load projects in New Mexico?
Utilities report 1 large customer project in New Mexico to EEI, including PNM (TXNM).
Which data center projects are delayed in New Mexico?
The SAVRN Delay Watchlist names 5 projects in New Mexico, among them Project Jupiter (Santa Teresa / Doña Ana County), Project Zenith (Roswell), Meta Los Lunas Expansion (Phase 3).
Does New Mexico have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 4 state-level measures (0 enacted) and 12 local moratoria or restrictions in New Mexico, 8 of them in force, 31st most in the country.
New Mexico across the SAVRN trackers
Sources for this page
- BEA state GDP via FRED
- BLS LAUS
- BLS OEWS
- BLS QCEW
- BLS State Employment (CES)
- EEI large customer projects
- EIA Electric Power Monthly
- EIA-860M (Aug 2026)
- NCSL
- PwC for the Data Center Coalition
- SAVRN Capital Atlas
- SAVRN Data Center Map
- SAVRN Delay Watchlist
- SAVRN Grid Operator Watchlist
- SAVRN Moratorium Tracker
- U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (via us-atlas)
Every figure links to its original source through the Sources buttons. Values marked derived are calculated from reported figures.