53rd largest plant in New Mexico · 3672nd nationally
Route 66 Energy Center, Llc is a solar power plant in New Mexico with a nameplate capacity of 49.5 MW. It generates roughly 146.0k MWh per year — enough to power about 13,905 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 34% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Route 66 Energy Center, Llc |
|---|---|
| Operator | Route 66 Energy Center, Llc |
| City | San Fidel |
| County | Cibola County |
| State | New Mexico |
| ZIP | 87049 |
| Coordinates | 35.09842, -107.61455 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTE66 | Solar Photovoltaic | Solar | 49.5 MW | Operating | 2022 |
| 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.