123rd largest plant in New Mexico · 10231st nationally
Cnmec Solar Energy Center is a solar power plant in New Mexico with a nameplate capacity of 2.0 MW. It generates roughly 5.5k MWh per year — enough to power about 525 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 31% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Cnmec Solar Energy Center |
|---|---|
| Operator | Exus New Mexico |
| City | Estancia |
| County | Torrance County |
| State | New Mexico |
| ZIP | 97031 |
| Coordinates | 34.78321, -106.05109 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNMEC | Solar Photovoltaic | Solar | 2.0 MW | Operating | 2018 |
| NERC Region | WECC |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | Public Service Company Of New Mexico |
Utility-scale solar farms convert sunlight directly into electricity using photovoltaic panels. They produce zero direct emissions and have no fuel cost, but generation is variable — peaking at midday and falling to zero at night. Capacity factors typically run 18–28% in good locations.