State's largest solar plant breaks ground

Dan Mayfield | Albuquerque Business First - 

On Monday, construction started on the state’s largest solar plant on state trust land.

New Mexico Land Commissioner Ray Powell announced that First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) broke ground at the Macho Springs solar project on 500 acres near Deming. The project could generate as much as $40 million for state trust land over the life of the lease. The plant should be completed by May 2014.

“This project will provide clean, efficient solar power for use by New Mexicans,” Powell said. “Other benefits of the project to the local and regional economy include millions of dollars in direct and indirect economic benefits, and about 300 temporary construction jobs.”

The project, Powell told Albuquerque Business First, is one of six new solar projects and four new wind farms on state trust land this year.

The project will supply El Paso Electric with enough power to operate 18,000 homes, and displace more than 40,000 metric tons of CO2.

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