New Mexico Utilities Issue RFP for Large Solar Parabolic Trough Plant
On July 1, 2008, four of New Mexico’s major utilities—Xcel Energy, El Paso Electric, PNM, and the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association—issued a request for proposals for the construction of a large solar parabolic trough generation facility and an associated long-term purchase power agreement. The utilities hope to have a contract in place by year-end…
On July 1, 2008, four of New Mexico’s major utilities—Xcel Energy, El Paso Electric, PNM, and the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association—issued a request for proposals for the construction of a large solar parabolic trough generation facility and an associated long-term purchase power agreement. The utilities hope to have a contract in place by year-end 2008 with the facility becoming operational by 2011-2012. Solar parabolic trough technology uses a series of trough-shaped mirrors to focus sunlight onto an oil-filled tube, and then uses the hot oil to generate steam.
