The Public Utility Commission of Texas Unanimously Approves El Paso Electric’s Replacement Generation Unit, Newman Unit 6

Decision Reaffirms the Need to Meet Growing Customer Demand while Replacing Aging Infrastructure

AUSTIN, Texas – Today, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) unanimously approved El Paso Electric’s application for the construction of Newman Unit 6, a state-of-the-art natural-gas generation replacement unit, that will help meet the growing customer energy demand for the region, replace three aging natural gas units and help balance the additional renewable energy resources being added.

El Paso Electric’s CEO, Kelly A. Tomblin issues the following statement regarding the PUCT decision:

“We are pleased with today’s decision by the PUCT as it reaffirms our plan to continue to meet the growing energy demands of our community. We appreciate the thoughtful, technical analysis that was undertaken by the PUCT and their understanding of how this unit fits into our overall energy framework. By replacing three aging units, El Paso Electric will use less natural gas, decrease water usage by 600 million gallons per year and improve system reliability. Our economic development goals cannot be met without the infrastructure and technology to support it. With the construction of this new unit and the addition of 250 megawatts of solar and battery storage, we will demonstrate to the world that we are embarking on a true energy transformation. Our community deserves the same standard of energy that others enjoy throughout the country. It is our duty to provide it; we will not settle for less.  We look forward to the opportunity to continue to discuss our plans for a cleaner, more technologically advanced energy system.”

Background

Pending other final regulatory approvals, construction of Newman Unit 6 is currently projected to begin in the first half of 2021, with an in-service date slated for May 2023. Recovery of the replacement unit cannot occur until it is operational and must receive regulatory approval.

About El Paso Electric Company

El Paso Electric Company is a regional electric utility providing generation, transmission and distribution service to approximately 437,000 retail and wholesale customers in a 10,000 square-mile area of the Rio Grande valley in west Texas and southern New Mexico. 

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