FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                             

August 27, 2025                                                                                                                           

KCEC Wildfire Mitigation Update & Annual Substation Maintenance: August 27, 2025

Taos, NM – Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) will conduct its annual substation maintenance throughout September 2025 as part of its ongoing commitment to reliability, safety, and wildfire mitigation.

"Annual substation maintenance not only strengthens our grid reliability but also plays a key role in our wildfire mitigation strategy," said Luis A. Reyes, CEO of KCEC. "By investing in preventative measures, KCEC is working to protect the safety of our communities, our forests, and our members' distribution system."

Substation maintenance ensures the cooperative can deliver safe and reliable electricity to its members while reducing the risks associated with aging infrastructure and potential wildfire hazards. This work is an essential part of KCEC's Wildfire Mitigation Plan, which focuses on vegetation management, system hardening, and preventative maintenance in fire-prone areas. During this time, crews will be conducting preventive maintenance on all substations within the service territory to prepare for the winter months. Please note that unforeseen circumstances may arise, potentially extending the time required for system maintenance. This includes maintenance on substations where members aren't affected. Internet services should not be impacted, as KCEC uses backup power to ensure the network remains fully operational. Below is the schedule of dates, times, and affected areas for the maintenance of the corresponding substations as part of the planned preventive maintenance for 2025:

Substation Maintenance Schedule

Work will be performed during off-peak overnight and early morning hours to minimize impact on members:

• Sept 4 – Eagle Nest (1:00 a.m. – 2:30 a.m.), Angel Fire (3:30 a.m. – 5:00 a.m.) (Affected Areas: Eagle Nest, Ute Park, Idlewild, Elizabeth Town, Moreno Ranch, Libus Ranch, Lakeview Pines, and American Creek
• Sept 8 – Red River (3:00 a.m. – 5:00 a.m.) Affected Areas: Town of Red River, Cottonwood Park, Upper Red River (Tall Pines Resort), Bitter Creek, Red River Ski Area, Red River Sewer Plant, and Moly Corp. Guard Shack 
•  Sept 8 - Bob Cat (6:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.) Affected Areas: Shadow Mountain & Bobcat Pass Area
• Sept 10 – Talpa (9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.) Affected Areas: No members will be affected.
• Sept 11 – Arroyo Hondo (3:00 a.m. – 5:00 a.m.) Affected Areas: Arroyo Hondo, Hondo Mesa, Cabresto Canyon, San Cristobal, Lama, Questa (North on Hwy 522 up to QuestaParish Center at Abra Rd. - North), Des Montes, Valdez, and Taos Ski Valley
• Sept 15 – Ojo Caliente (3:00 a.m. – 5:00 a.m.) Affected areas: Ojo Caliente, El Rito, Vallecitos, Canon Plaza, LaPetaca, La Madera, Las Tablas, Shadow Mountain and Servilleta
• Sept 17 – Peñasco (4:30 a.m. – 6:00 a.m.) Affected Areas: Rodarte, Llano de San Juan, Llano Largo, Llano de la Llegua, Chamisal, Tres Ritos, Trampas, Rio Lucio, Placitas & Rock Wall
• Sept 18 – Los Córdovas 1 (9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.) Affected Areas: No members will be affected.
• Sept 23 – Los Córdovas 2 (9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.) Affected Areas: No members will be affected.

Wildfire Mitigation Commitment

KCEC continues to take proactive measures to reduce wildfire risk across its service area by:

• Inspecting and upgrading substations and distribution equipment to meet fire-safety standards.
• Vegetation management around substations, poles, and lines to create defensible space.
• Using advanced satellite imagery monitoring to detect equipment faults early and minimize fire risk.
• Collaborating with local fire departments and agencies to ensure rapid response capabilities.
• Placing forest areas of our service territory on non-reclose operation during high fire risk periods.

Member Impact

Members may experience short, planned outages during scheduled maintenance times. KCEC encourages all members to prepare by keeping devices charged and having backup lighting available.

KCEC continues to prioritize the safety of our members and communities by placing forest areas of our service territory on non-reclose operation during high fire risk periods. This means that if a power line experiences a fault, it will remain off until our crews can inspect the line to ensure it is safe to re-energize, reducing the potential for ignition in dry and windy conditions. While this may result in longer outage times, it is a critical step to protect lives, property, and the beautiful landscapes of northern New Mexico during this wildfire season. We appreciate our members' understanding and cooperation as we take every precaution to ensure safety while continuing to provide essential services throughout our communities this summer.

The following areas have been placed on non-reclose:

•       Rockwall to Mora County Line

•       Chamisal to El Valle and Ojo Sarco

•       Idlewild

•       Lake View Pines

•       Elizabeth Town

•       Eagle Nest into Ute Park

•       Green Mountain

•       Upper Red River

•       Hidden Lake

•       Black Lake Resorts

•       Vallecitos, Canon Plaza

•       La Peta, Servilleta, Las Tablas

•       Taos Canyon and Valle Escondido

KCEC will continue to provide regular updates to keep our members informed about wildfire conditions, weather impacts, and any operational changes that may affect service. Clear and timely communication is essential, especially during periods of elevated fire risk, and KCEC is committed to ensuring that members have the latest information available. Through our website, social media channels, and member alerts, we will share updates on safety measures, outage responses, and wildfire mitigation efforts. We thank our members for their patience and cooperation as we work together to protect our communities and maintain reliable service.

KCEC Project Status

KCEC is committed to safeguarding our communities and infrastructure through a comprehensive suite of projects focused on wildfire mitigation and grid resilience across our service territory. The current status of KCEC's projects includes:

Amalia II Solar and Battery Facility 

KCEC has started construction on the Amalia II Solar + Battery Storage Facility in Amalia, NM. This project will deliver 8.75 megawatts of solar power paired with 8.75 megawatts of battery storage, significantly boosting local energy independence and grid resilience. 

As of August 18, 2025, the Amalia II Solar Project is progressing on schedule. Civil work, including roads, grading, and inverter pads, is 80% complete. Structural activities are underway, with pier driving at 10% and racking at 3%, while the BESS area has reached 50% completion. Work over the past week focused on pier installation, racking, roads, and inverter pads. Upcoming efforts include continued pier and racking work, module deliveries, and underground inspections. No safety incidents have been reported, and piers have been delivered to the site. Overall, the project is advancing steadily toward the next phase of construction. Commercial operation date of December 15, 2025

KCEC Microgrid Projects (Taos Ski Valley, El Rito West, Penasco) 

KCEC has submitted 30% of the engineering designs, including adaptations for high-elevation conditions specific to TSV, and the project is progressing toward 60% design completion. 60% design completion is expected to be completed by September 2025.  A key milestone was achieved with the approval of the NEPA Questionnaire, which lifted previous constraints and cleared the way for procurement and construction to move forward. Procurement of long lead times is scheduled. Batteries for the project have been ordered. 

KCEC Hydrogen Project (Questa, Taos and Penasco) 

The current phase of the project involves several critical activities aimed at preparing for the upcoming groundbreaking scheduled for December 1, 2025. Site-specific environmental design work is underway, focusing on tailoring the project to the unique conditions of the location while ensuring long-term sustainability and compliance with environmental regulations. In parallel, pre-construction engineering assessments are being conducted to evaluate structural, geotechnical, and civil aspects of the site. Additionally, a comprehensive quantitative safety and risk analysis is being performed in accordance with standards set by the Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This analysis aims to identify potential hazards, assess risk levels, and develop mitigation strategies to ensure the safety and compliance of the project throughout its lifecycle. A preliminary engineering design of the solar array, hydrogen facility and substation is also underway.