new pnm substation to be built on west side of albuquerque

Plans are now in the works for the construction of a new electric substation that will go up in Albuquerque near the intersection of Atrisco Vista Boulevard and Interstate 40.

The facility will belong to the Public Service Company of New Mexico, and could see construction beginning later this fall, with an early 2021 completion date.

The Albuquerque-based PNM provides electricity to an estimated 530,000 homes and businesses in the northern part of the state, as well as West Texas.

The company has recently been engaged in an effort to build out its facilities in order to accommodate continuing customer demand.

In February, PNM announced plans to build a new substation on a vacant site at the southwest corner of Paseo Del Norte Frontage Road NE and Browning Road NE.

Work on that facility, officially called the Palomas Substation, will begin later this year with a rough completion date of summer 2021.

As planned, the new substation near Atrisco Vista will help to accommodate the residential and commercial needs of the growing west side of Albuquerque.

Commercial facilities in the vicinity include the big Shamrock Foods Warehouse at 1221 S. Renaissance Boulevard, as well as the Tempur-Pedic manufacturing plant at 12907 Tempur-Pedic Parkway NW.

Earlier this year, online retail giant Amazon began work on the construction of a 450,000 square foot fulfillment center in that same area, a project that is expected to be completed by the fall of 2021.

​By Garry Boulard

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