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New Mexico Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across New Mexico — updated daily.
Recent New Mexico data center news
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Climate Change Solutions - September 9, 2025
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) published a newsletter highlighting recent climate solutions, Congressional activity, briefings, and an upcoming AI-and-energy event.
- Main announcement: EESI summarizes new content and events including articles on passive and sustainable cooling, grid resilience to heat waves, and a new Nature4Communities tool from U.S. Nature4Climate; it also hosted a briefing with the Ohio River Basin Alliance as part of its Resilient and Healthy Rivers series. Key figures and policy items cited include $57.3 billion in FY2026 discretionary funding in H.R.4553 (Energy and Water appropriations), a noted reduction of $766.4 million from 2025 levels, an authorizing proposal of $10 million to DOE under H.R.4490 (Wildfire Grid Resiliency Act), and $30 million annually directed to local officials under H.R.5154 (REACT Act).
- Background and upcoming actions: The newsletter catalogs Congressional bills and hearings, media coverage, and events; it also announces an EESI briefing on AI and energy.
- Event: “Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Energy and the Environment”
- Date: Thursday, September 25
- Time: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
- Location: Rayburn House Office Building, Gold Room (Room 2168) and online (livecast/RSVP link provided)
- Other details: Highlight notes available for the 28th Annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy Forum and EXPO; a cited statistic: every $1 invested in transit generates $5 in economic returns.
- Event: “Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Energy and the Environment”
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Reality Check: We Have What’s Needed to Reliably Power the Data Center Boom, and It’s Not Coal Plants
RMI authors (Gabriella Tosado, Ashtin Massie, Joe Daniel) state that clean, resilient resources already exist to meet data center-driven electricity demand growth and that keeping aging coal plants online for reliability is misguided.
- Confirmed findings & data:>20% projected load growth by 2035 driven by data centers; Virginia accounts for 13% of global and 25% of US reported data center capacity; coal plant capacity accreditation often ~83% (ESIG/PJM) with examples like Colstrip at 54%; average coal cold-start >12 hours and typical ramp 4% per minute (~20+ minutes for large events); MISO congestion costs > $1 billion/year documented.
- Planned initiatives & concrete solutions: RMI finds >95% of future demand can be met with clean options including 50+ GW energy efficiency, 60 GW of VPPs by 2030 (with programs enrollable in under 6 months; Virginia bill requires 450 MW VPPs), 80+ GW incremental peak capacity from grid-enhancing transmission, 14 GW of retiring fossil sites available for clean repowering, and >30 GW Power Couples under $100/MWh (and >50 GW under $200/MWh). These are presented as implementable options rather than speculative outcomes.
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A surprise contender for cooling computers: lasers
Sandia National Laboratories, in collaboration with Minnesota-based startup Maxwell Labs and the University of New Mexico, has entered into a cooperative research and development agreement to test laser-based photonic cooling technology for computer chips. This technology aims to regulate chip temperature, significantly reduce power consumption, and increase the efficiency of existing air and water cooling systems. The project focuses on creating micrometer-thin gallium arsenide-based components for this new cooling method, which could have transformative effects on data centers where energy costs are a growing concern.
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Request for Information on Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure on DOE Lands
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a Request for Information (RFI) to explore opportunities for AI infrastructure development on its lands. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance AI capabilities in the U.S. and maintain leadership in the field. The RFI targets industry input on potential development approaches and operational models for AI data centers at select DOE sites, aiming for operational commencement by the end of 2027. Responses to this RFI are due by May 7, 2025.
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Avangrid activates 300,000 solar panel project in Ohio
Avangrid has commenced delivering electricity from the 150 MW Powell Creek solar project in Putnam County, Ohio. The project, approved in 2021, is actively exporting electricity to the local grid and is expected to generate enough power for approximately 30,000 homes annually. It created 500 jobs during peak construction and is projected to generate $31 million in taxes, supporting local public services.
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Los centros de datos de Meta obtendrán energía de un proyecto solar de 321 MW en Texas
Avangrid, a subsidiary of Iberdrola, has launched its True North solar project in Texas, which has a capacity of 321 MW and spans 771 acres in Falls County. The project, constructed with an investment of $369 million, will support Meta’s data center operations in Texas and is expected to contribute over $40 million in property taxes over its lifetime. The project has already created approximately 300 construction jobs and will help increase the renewable energy capacity in the region.
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Los centros de datos de Meta obtendrán energía de un proyecto solar de 321 MW en Texas
Avangrid, a subsidiary of Iberdrola, announced the operation of its largest solar project, True North, in Texas. The 321 MW solar project spans 771 acres in Falls County and will support Meta’s data center operations in Texas. The project represents an investment of $369 million and is expected to contribute over $40 million in property taxes over its lifetime. True North is the seventh project by Avangrid in Texas, contributing to nearly 1.6 GW of combined capacity. Avangrid has over $2 billion of direct investment in Texas and created around 300 jobs during peak construction.
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Meta’s data centers to procure energy from 321 MW solar project in Texas
Avangrid, part of the Iberdrola Group, announced the operational launch of the 321 MW True North solar project in Falls County, Texas. This project occupies 1,907 acres and supports Meta’s data center operations. The commercial operation began in the first quarter of 2025, earlier than expected. Avangrid invested $369 million in this project, which is expected to generate over $40 million in property taxes over its lifespan.
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Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Pa. Public Utility Commission Sets Hearing on AI Data Centers’ Impacts on Electricity
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) announced a hearing on April 24, 2025, to evaluate the impact of AI data centers on the state’s electricity infrastructure and economy. PUC Chairperson Stephen DeFrank emphasized the need to protect consumers while facilitating economic growth and technological advancement. The commission will investigate two major data center projects: Constellation Energy’s $1.6 billion restart of its nuclear power plant at Three Mile Island to provide carbon-free electricity for Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services’ $650 million data center purchase near a nuclear plant that will consume energy equivalent to 900,000 homes.
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ABB to invest $120M in US manufacturing
Switzerland-based ABB invested $120 million to expand the production of its low-voltage electrification products in the U.S. The investment will increase the capacity of manufacturing facilities in Selmer, Tennessee, and Senatobia, Mississippi, to support the rising demand from data centers, buildings, and utilities. ABB has also announced plans to open a new 320,000-square-foot facility in Selmer and is investing an additional $40 million to double its facility in Senatobia by June 2026, creating a total of 250 new jobs in the area.