Xcel New Mexico’s community solar program ready for subscribers

Xcel Energy’s New Mexico said that its customers can now choose electricity generated by the state’s most abundant resource – the sun. The utility’s Solar*Connect program has opened for enrollment, providing customers with the option to invest in solar energy by purchasing all or part of their monthly electricity needs from a newly constructed solar facility near Clovis.

“Solar*Connect allows our customers to tap into the efficiencies of a utility-scale solar generating plant while reaping the benefits of clean, renewable energy and supporting New Mexico’s clean energy economy,” said Mike McLeod, regional manager for Community and Economic Development in Roswell. “It’s a convenient option for customers who have considered adding solar panels to their rooftops but don’t care to invest the time and money into buying and maintaining a rooftop system.”

And for companies and organizations that have set corporate sustainability goals, Solar*Connect provides a way to meet these goals and claim the Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) generated by the solar facility’s energy production.

Solar*Connect is an add-on to existing electricity rates that is made up of two pricing components – a Solar*Connect Community Charge and a Solar*Connect Community Credit. The Solar*Connect Community Charge includes the cost of the energy delivered from the new solar facility, the cost to integrate that energy into the grid, and the cost to market and administer the program. The Solar*Connect Community Credit compensates customers for the avoided energy costs from using traditional fossil fuels and power plant costs that are no longer needed.

The additional monthly cost to a typical residential customer participating in Solar*Connect would be about $10.80.

Xcel serves over 100,000 customers across six counties in New Mexico.


Source: Renewable Energy

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