By Vic Kolenc
El Paso Times
EL PASO, Texas — Border Solar, an El Paso solar installation company, is about to begin construction of its biggest project: a $10 million solar panel project at two prisons in Otero County, about six miles north of El Paso’s city limits.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday for the project at the Otero County Prison, which holds up to 1,358 prisoners for the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Otero County Processing Center, which holds up to 1,089 prisoners for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The project will have more than 23,000 solar panels on 15.8 acres on Otero County land outside the two prisons, said Javier Ruiz, owner of Border Solar. When completed in June or July, it will produce 2 megawatts of power, he said -- enough power to supply about 600 homes.
Alternative Industry Resources, or Air, of Albuquerque, is the project’s developer, and will sell solar power to the prisons. Oswaldo Galarza, president of Air, said the company hopes to get solar projects at other prisons.
James Frawner, warden of the Otero County Prison, said the solar project should supply all the daytime power needs of the two prisons. The prisons will rely on regular electrical power at night.
Management and Training Corp., or Mtc, a Salt Lake City area company that operates the prisons, is always looking for “green initiatives,” and company officials decided this would be a good way to start, Frawner said.
Ray Backstrom, Otero County manager, said the county owns the land and is leasing it to Air and its supporting companies for the solar project. County officials see it as a way for the prisons to save money, he said. In about 20 years, the solar project will become the property of the county, he said.
Galarza said the solar panels for the prisons project are being supplied by Cadmos, a Spanish company, which also is providing financing for the project.
Galarza and Ruiz said Border Solar will build other solar projects in the region for Air. Galarza said his company has submitted a proposal for a solar project at El Paso International Airport.
Border Solar will hire 15 to 25 people for the Otero County project and other projects, Ruiz said.
“I know this project will help promote similar projects in the area,” Ruiz said.
Copyright 2011 El Paso Times, a MediaNews Group Newspaper
All Rights Reserved