EDF Renewables North America has announced the execution of a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with El Paso Electric (EPE).The PPA covers the output from the 150 MWac Milagro Solar and the 75 MW / 300 MWh Milagro Storage Project, which are slated for commercial operation in 2025.

The Milagro Solar+Storage project, located on undeveloped private land in the Santa Teresa area of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, expects to create approximately 200 jobs during the peak construction phase. Over the operating life of the project, approximately $7.9 million in tax revenue will be generated for three school districts and Doña Ana flood control authority supported under the Industrial Revenue Bond (IRB).

“We are very pleased to partner with El Paso Electric and contribute to its commitment to provide responsible, sustainable, and reliable energy to its customers,” said Matthew Beltz, Director, Origination & Power Marketing at EDF Renewables. “We are excited to build our first solar+storage project in New Mexico and to support EPE as the project delivers long-term price stability, stimulates economic growth, and reduces emissions.”

“The Milagro Solar+Storage project reflects our commitment to transform the energy landscape and expand our renewable energy portfolio,” shared Kelly Tomblin, El Paso Electric President and Chief Executive Officer. “Simultaneously, it furthers our overall plan to increase our generation resources in order to meet our region’s growing energy needs. We are determined to continue our legacy of reliability while we maintain affordability and minimize our environmental impact.”

In addition to its economic benefits, Milagro Solar+Storage expects to generate approximately 469,500 MWh of clean energy annually. This is equivalent to avoiding over 333,000 metric tons of carbon (CO₂) emissions annually which represents the greenhouse gas emissions from over 74,000 passenger vehicles driven over the course of one year(1).

(1) According to U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies calculations and typical transmission assumptions.