DESRI (D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments) has announced that the Carne Solar Project, located in Luna County, New Mexico, has received regulatory approval from the New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission (NMPRC) for its offtake contracts with El Paso Electric (EPE).
Carne consists of a 130-megawatt (MWac) solar facility coupled with a 65-MWac battery storage system.
This marks DESRI’s fourth project in New Mexico and its second in Luna County, contributing to EPE’s strategic mission of achieving 100 percent decarbonization of its generation portfolio by 2045.
In addition to Carne, DESRI is currently constructing the Arroyo and San Juan Solar projects in McKinley and San Juan counties, respectively.
Carne has secured a 20-year power purchase agreement and energy storage agreement with EPE, and it is expected to commence commercial operations in 2025. The facility will generate enough clean energy to power approximately 38,000 homes each year, as per estimates provided by the Environmental Protection Agency.
DESRI will assume ownership and operation of the project. Galehead Development and Lacuna Sustainable Investments played a role in its initial development.