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A decommissioned powered energy plant is set for re-development and the new source of fuel is none other than fuel.

The Escalante coal power plant was operating for over 30 years before it was decommissioned in 2020 and at the time there were 107 employees. “Everything is controlled from here, the boiler to the turbine generator, to the baghouse, the environmental controls, pollution control,” said Escalante plant manager Brian Rychener. Nearly everything inside the plant is being repurposed.

“This is an opportunity for us to grow, to meet all the renewable standard issues that we put forward in the legislature. To help work with climate change and make sure that we're reducing carbon emissions,” New Mexico state Rep. Patricia Lundstrom said.

State leaders say the project would cost $500 million dollars, but it could create 600 construction jobs, and 60 full-time jobs by 2025. “I think this is one of the crown jewels in New Mexico that is really shaping the path forward for how we can do low carbon hydrogen in a way that reaches our climate goals and keeps our economy thriving,” State Environment Department Cabinet Secretary James C. Kenney said. One of the partners involved in the re-purposing of this new hydrogen plant says there is also room for other projects like, green cement or semiconductor manufacturing.

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