Severing the cord to fossil fuels is one of the primary objectives of the renewable-energy movement, and utilities have tremendous influence. Texas has been a leader among states in tapping into its renewable resources. Recently, one of the state’s utilities achieved the ultimate goal of becoming completely free of coal as a power source.


In August, El Paso Electric (EPE) announced that it had become the first and only utility in Texas and New Mexico to generate electricity 100 percent coal-free. The utility completely eliminated coal from its portfolio when it sold its ownership stake in the Four Corners Generating Station, a coal-fired generating plant, to Phoenix-based Arizona Public Service. The sale comes at the end of a 50-year contract.


In announcing the end of its reliance on coal, the utility cited its increasing investment in utility-scale solar. EPE’s generation mix consists of nuclear energy, local natural gas plants, and a combination of ownership and power purchase agreements of large-scale solar facilities. The utility is also attempting to expand the role of solar in its portfolio, launching a new Community Solar Program in 2017. The program will provide EPE’s customers in Texas the option to subscribe to solar energy from a local solar facility.


El Paso Electric is a regional electric utility providing generation, transmission and distribution service to some 400,000 customers in West Texas and southern New Mexico. It has a net 
dependable generating capability of 1,990 megawatts.