NextEra commissions new electric transmission line
Christina Holt/News-Sun
LOVINGTON — Dozens of guests stood in the middle of rural Lea County Wednesday morning surrounded by grazing cattle, pump jacks and wind turbines, as NextEra Energy Resources marked the commissioning of its Crossroads-Hobbs-Roadrunner electric transmission line.
The location reflected the project’s role in connecting the diverse energy resources in Roosevelt and Lea counties to the electrical grid while supporting future economic growth in southeastern New Mexico.
The electric transmission line project stretches approximately 137 miles, connecting the Crossroads, Hobbs and Roadrunner substations to help prevent blackouts and allowing electricity to flow more reliably and efficiently.
State and local leaders, as well as project partners and NextEra employees spoke during the ceremony, recognizing the years of planning and construction.
“This is an important day for Lea County, for southeastern New Mexico and the future economic growth across the region,” Economic Development Corporation of Lea County CEO Jennifer Grassham said. “I like to think of this new Crossroads – Hobbs – Roadrunner line as miles of opportunity. The transmission line doesn’t just unlock one project; it unlocks a pipeline of projects.”
NextEra CEO Brian Bolster said the electricity demand for more power is seen in the system but electrical generation alone does not solve the issue.
“You can build a power plant, you can build the manufacturing facility, but if you can’t move the electricity where it needs to go, when it needs to get there, economic growth is going to slow down,” Bolster said. “It connects power plants to communities and businesses, it relieves congestion, it strengthens reliability, it helps increase affordability and it creates the capacity needed to bring new load online faster and more efficiently.”
It delivers lower-cost generation to the region and enhances the reliability of the electric grid providing, he said, about a $13 monthly cost savings to consumers.
“Most New Mexicans are still unaware that we pull enough power to power the entire United States by ourselves. Oil and gas, wind, solar, solar storage, fusion, geo thermal and more is coming. The technology around energy has all landed in New Mexico,” New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said. “This is incredible. New Mexico is getting it right. When we work together, we can make lasting productive change that are going to make a difference for future generations.”
Additional speakers at the commissioning ceremony included NextEra Vice President Matt Pawlowski, New Mexico State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard, New Mexico Public Regulation Commission Chairman Gabriel Aguilera, New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority Executive Director Lynn Mostoller and Audubon Southwest Vice President Jonathan Hayes.
At the end of the ceremony, NextEra presented Isaiah’s Kitchen in Hobbs with a check for $5,000.
There were several local leaders who attended the commission ceremony, including Representative District 61 Randy Pettigrew, R-Lovington, Lea County Manager Corey Needham, Lea County Commissioner Gary Eidson, Lovington Mayor Robbie Roberts and Lovington Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Evelyn Holguin.
