Rio Grande
Rio Grande is a natural gas plant in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, operated by El Paso Electric Co. The operator has reported planned retirement dates for 216 MW of it, between 2027 and 2033. Its oldest working unit dates from 1958, the second-earliest start among New Mexico’s 18 natural gas plants. Within the El Paso Electric balancing area it is the third-largest of 27 plants.
Nameplate capacity, 2025
348 MW
265 MW net summer capacity
3 operable units
- Gas steam turbine216 MW62%
- Gas combustion turbine132 MW38%
Unit by unit, 1957 to 2025
operating in 2025retiredreported planned retirementbar height follows unit size
Unit 6 Gas steam turbine, 50 MW, 1957–2025
Unit 7 Gas steam turbine, 50 MW, 1958
Unit 8 Gas steam turbine, 166 MW, 1972
Unit 9 Gas combustion turbine, 132 MW, 2013
Among New Mexico’s plants
Largest plants in the state by nameplate capacity, with the plants ranked next to this one.
- 1Four Corners1,636 MW
- 2Hobbs Generating Station682 MW
- 3Luna Energy Facility650 MW
- 6Cunningham444 MW
- 7Red Cloud Wind LLC350 MW
- 8Rio Grandethis plant
- 9Clines Corners Wind Farm LLC325 MW
- 10La Joya NM306 MW
Other rankings
- All US power plants
- 935th of 14,286
- Power plants in New Mexico
- 8th of 161
- US natural gas plants
- 569th of 1,961
- Natural gas plants in New Mexico
- 4th of 18
- Plants run by El Paso Electric Co
- 3rd of 9
- Biggest single unit, among New Mexico’s plants
- 22nd of 161
Operable units
| Unit | Technology | Nameplate | Summer | Online | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Gas steam turbine | 50 MW | 43 MW | 1958 | Operating, retirement planned for 2027 |
| 8 | Gas steam turbine | 166 MW | 139 MW | 1972 | Operating, retirement planned for 2033 |
| 9 | Gas combustion turbine | 132 MW | 83 MW | 2013 | Operating |
Retired units
Retired capacity here totals 50 MW, mostly natural gas units.
| Unit | Technology | Nameplate | In service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Gas steam turbine | 50 MW | 1957–2025 |
Grid and site
- Balancing area
- El Paso Electric
- Reliability region
- Western Electricity Coordinating Council
- Highest grid connection voltage
- 115 kV
- Water source
- Wells
- Nearest town on record
- SunLand Park
- Operator type
- Utility
- Coordinates
- 31.805°N, 106.547°W
Closest plants
| Plant | Runs on | Capacity | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenet Hospital | Natural gas | 4.2 MW | 3.6 mi southeast |
| Milagro Solar I | Solar | 225 MW | 5.6 mi west |
| Roadrunner Solar | Solar | 20.2 MW | 7.5 mi west |
| Phelps Dodge Refining | Natural gas | 19.6 MW | 9.6 mi east |
| Fort Bliss (DEA EPIC) | Solar | 2 MW | 10.4 mi east |
| Copper | Natural gas | 86.9 MW | 10.6 mi east |
| TJX 2021 DG El Paso DC | Solar | 1.5 MW | 12.3 mi east |
| Newman Solar | Solar | 10.5 MW | 13.9 mi northeast |