El Paso Electric and San Elizario Announce 10 Megawatt Expansion

EL PASO, TX – The San Elizario City Council and El Paso Electric (EPE) announced a $10,000 donation from EPE to the city as part of an agreement for the expansion of EPE’s Texas Community Solar program. The funds will be used for community improvements in San Elizario, which has a population of more than 10,000.

“El Paso Electric recognizes the great efforts San Elizario has made to energize economic development in its city,” said Jessica Christianson, EPE’s vice president of sustainability and energy solutions. “We look forward to the improvements that will be made and our solar expansion that will benefit the community.”

The Texas Community Solar expansion will be located on 70 acres in San Elizario near the intersection of Herring and Chicken Ranch Roads. It will produce 10 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy and is expected to be operational in 2024. EPE selected EDF Renewables, a trusted partner, to build the solar site.

El Paso Electric’s Texas Community Solar began operations in 2017 with a 3 MW facility located in Far East El Paso and was fully subscribed within a month. The first expansion occurred in 2018, bringing the total to 5 MW available to Texas customers. The expansion in San Elizario will triple the size of the program to 15 MW to allow another 5,000 homes to subscribe to solar.

“This expansion is great news for San Elizario,” said Mayor Cesar Chavez. “Solar is a clean, sustainable energy source that will help our city reach its renewable energy goals.”

EPE customers can subscribe to Texas Community Solar for a monthly fee. Solar power is generated at a remote solar facility and delivered to customers’ homes through the electric grid. Customers can save money on their electric bill and help protect the environment.