PNM North Albuquerque Acres Substation Project - pnmprod
PNM North Albuquerque Acres Substation Project
Thank you!
Thank you for attending the recent open house events on Nov. 16 and 19.
Your feedback is important. If you haven't already, please share your thoughts about possible sites for the proposed North Albuquerque Acres Substation. You can provide feedback here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PNMNAA.
Please also see the new map with possible substation site options.
If you have any questions, please email us at partners@pnm.com.
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What is the Substation Project?
Keeping the Power on in North Albuquerque Acres and Beyond
The North Albuquerque Acres Substation Project is a proposed new 2.5 - 3.5 acre substation that will be located on or near Paseo del Norte between Ventura Street and Tramway Boulevard, near the load growth areas it will serve. Once complete, the project will help meet North Albuquerque Acres' (NAA) current and future energy needs and significantly reduce the risk of power outages in communities across the Northeast quadrant of the City.
Community Benefits
Reduced Outage Risk Across Bernalillo County
Many customers receive electricity from existing substations that do not have the capacity to serve ongoing growth in the NAA area. A system overload due to high energy demand has the potential to cause a power outage that extends beyond NAA and affects residents and businesses in dozens of neighborhoods in the metro area. A new substation for NAA will reinforce the metro area's electric grid and reduce the risk of outages and other service interruptions.
Infrastructure to Meet NAA's Energy Demand
The area's energy needs exceed the normal rating of existing substations by up to 34 percent, straining the grid and increasing the risk of outages. Average energy demand at nearby substations has also grown by more than 1 percent annually since 2017 and is expected to continue increasing even further. Building a new substation near the load growth area it will serve is the only way to address this issue and avoid power outages in NAA and other neighborhoods now and in the future.
Equitable, Effective Power Delivery
Neighborhoods across the metro area benefit from electric infrastructure in their areas but may find their service at risk due to their substations serving demand from outside their neighborhood. This project will help ensure a fair and equitable electric system for all customers and build a stronger energy grid for the entire County. The new substation will also enhance the quality of electric service because this type of facility is most effective and equitable when located near the homes and businesses it will serve.
Project Siting
Phase 1
PNM's siting team began by identifying an area where a substation must be sited to operate efficiently and best serve the community's current and future energy needs. We also studied potential project alternatives, such as expanding existing substations and installing a battery storage system. Our analysis determined a new substation in this area is needed to reduce the risk of lengthy power outages in North Albuquerque Acres and beyond.
Phase 2
PNM conducted an initial analysis of the study area and identified 20 sites for further evaluation. Our siting team is looking at several factors to determine each potential location's feasibility. The community's feedback will also be taken into consideration as we continue evaluating and rank the potential sites. Our team will look at several system considerations, site characteristics and environmental factors, including:
- Proximity to the customers being served
- Access to existing power lines and roads
- Special design and construction requirements
- Size, topography, drainage and soil type
- Availability of the property
- Land use compatibility and zoning
- Environmental justice
- Residences and institutions nearby
- Visual impacts and screening potential
- Hazardous waste
- Threatened or endangered species
- Wetlands and floodplains
- Cultural resources
Phase 3
Upon completion of the technical analysis and a comprehensive outreach program to obtain public feedback, we will identify a proposed site for the new substation. This site will be submitted to Bernalillo County as part of our project application.
Anticipated Timeline
Additional Information
| Title | Download |
|---|---|
| Project Fact Sheet | Download |
| Location Options | Download |
