Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that Lea County Electric Cooperative has been approved for a $38.55 million loan guarantee through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to finance the construction of a new production facility.

The loan guarantee will allow construction of a 42.2 MW natural gas-fired electricity production facility and related interconnection transmission facilities.  Last Month LCEC announced that it had awarded Wärtsilä Corporation a contract that provide for engineering services and generation equipment for the future facility.  The future plant will be located next to the existing LCEC Plant east of Lovington on U.S. Highway 82 East and is expected to be fully operational by June 2012.

"Lea County Electric Cooperative's future gas-fired electricity facility will help it continue to provide reliable and affordable electric power to its customers – homes and businesses - in southeastern New Mexico and Texas," Bingaman said.

Additionally, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. was approved for a $173.68 million loan guarantee to upgrade and modify the generation system and make environmental control improvements.

Tri-State is a wholesale electric power supplier owned by the 44 electric cooperatives, including 12 in New Mexico.  They are: Central New Mexico Electric Cooperation (Mountainair), Columbus Electric Cooperative (Deming), Continental Divide Electric Cooperative (Grants), Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative (Española), Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (Taos), Mora-San Miguel Electrical Cooperative, Northern Rio Arriba Electric Cooperative, Otero County Electrical Cooperative, Sierra Electric Cooperative (Elephant Butte), Socorro Electric Cooperative, Southwestern Electric Cooperative (Clayton), and Springer Electric Cooperative.