New PV parks of 100 MW to serve Facebook's New Mexico data centre

Two more solar parks totalling 100 MW will be powering Facebook Inc’s (NASDAQ:FB) under-construction data centre in Los Lunas, New Mexico, it was announced last week.

The electricity will come from two photovoltaic (PV) parks that NM Renewable Development LLC (NMRD), a joint venture between subsidiaries of PNM Resources (NYSE:PNM) and American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP), will build in New Mexico. Energy holding PNM, the parent of New Mexico utility PNM, said on Friday it has received clearance by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC) to buy 100 MW of solar power from NMPRC and supply Facebook’s data centre.

The first of the proposed solar plants is expected to be commissioned by the end of next year, while the second one will become operational in June 2020. The construction of each park will bring about USD 70 million (EUR 60.7m) in investment in New Mexico and open around 200 jobs.

The US social networking giant is already partnering with PNM in order to use 100% renewables electricity at the Los Lunas facility, the first phase of which will come online at end-2018. Last year, it announced it was expanding the campus with additional buildings.

Including the two new solar projects, Facebook will use 396 MW of wind and solar power for the Los Lunas complex as part of its collaboration with PNM, representing a total investment of USD 800 million. In August, the US-based group pledged to power its operations worldwide with 100% renewable energy and to lower greenhouse gas emissions 75% by end-2020.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.868)

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