Frequent Questions

It is largely determined by governmental agencies to minimize impacts to the environment and surrounding communities. The federal process is guided by the Bureau of Land Management. At the state level, New Mexico’s Public Regulation Commission and the New Mexico State Land Office have jurisdiction over the project. In Arizona, the Arizona Corporation Commission and the Arizona State Land Department have jurisdiction over the project.

Based on the route, largely determined by governmental agencies, RioSol’s real property team works respectfully with landowners to discuss specific site concerns or other issues in order to determine the best path forward to secure the necessary access. RioSol strives to negotiate truthfully and honestly and to arrive at compensation agreements with owners that are reasonable, fair and equitable.

Transmission lines carry electricity from one location to another, enabling power needs to be met throughout the country. Transmission lines provide the opportunity for energy to be transported from rural areas to cities and urban areas, where energy is in high demand.

Transmission lines simply carry electricity over large distances with minimum loss or disruption. Without transmission lines, the energy has no way of connecting from the energy source to an outlet in your home.

The RioSol project will benefit communities by providing:

• Construction jobs
• Full-time operations and maintenance jobs
• Part-time operations and maintenance jobs
• Many indirect effects such as the impact of buying local goods and services
• Tax revenue generated from this project
• The opportunity for communities to benefit from energy through the construction of substations along the route.

A recent independent report recently concluded that the RioSol Transmission Project will generate $2.4 billion of economic benefit. The economic impact report from Energy Economic & Environmental Consultants revealed that the 550-mile High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) transmission line will generate $2.4 billion of economic benefit and create more than 2,600 jobs. It will also generate economic benefits totaling $667 million in New Mexico and $506 million in Arizona.

RioSol is a planned 500-kV high-voltage alternating-current transmission line that will move renewable energy from Central New Mexico to South Central Arizona.

The project is planned to run approximately 550 miles, with an eastern terminus near Corona, New Mexico, and a western terminus near Coolidge, Arizona.

SouthWestern Power Group expects to start construction of RioSol in 2027 and is expected to be in service by 2029.

RioSol is described as a transmission line capable of carrying up to 1,600 MW of energy.