PNM Substation and Tramway Transmission Line Proposal Status update:

Status update:  At the January 27, 2026, hearing, the Bernalillo Board of County Commissioners (BCC) heard the from three appellants (including SHHA), approximately 50 members of the community who offered oral comments, and more than 630 written comments (emails). The BCC passed a motion for a 120-day continuance and directed the completion of the substation siting study (only a draft was submitted in PNM's permit application) including justification for the "area of need," completion of a transmission corridor siting study, and a study of the feasibility and estimated costs for putting the transmission lines underground. Further, the BCC raised the need for a third-party engineer to assist County staff with this analysis. Below is a summary of developments since the January 27 hearing. The County has scheduled the next hearing related to this project for 3:00 pm Tuesday, May 12, 2026 (106 days from January 27).

See the Call to Action below. The May 12 meeting is expected to be a "report back" from County Planning staff regarding progress, status and a schedule for completing the additional analysis directed by the BCC.  County Planning staff is reportedly working on a Request for Proposals (RFP) to engage a third-party, independent engineer. Based on conversations with staff, completing additional technical analysis is outside of their customary role in permitting and they are reluctant to take this on. We expect that they will provide the BCC with high estimates of cost and schedule required to complete the analysis which may force the Commissioners to reconsider direction given at the January 27 hearing. Representatives of SHHA have reached out to the County, PNM, the other appellants and the North Albuquerque Acres Community Association with a proposal for a collaborative Technical Working Group to consider feasible alternatives to PNM's substation and transmission line proposal and to review the additional analyses prepared in response to the BCC direction. Initial responses from the parties have been encouraging. There is concern that PNM could bypass the BCC and take their application directly to the NM Public Regulation Commission, allowed under NM Statute 62-9-3 Location Control; Limitations. 

The SHHA Board has approved a search and retainer for an attorney to represent the community on matters related to the PNM substation and transmission line proposal. It is frustrating that there has not been more visible progress made by the County or communication between the County and the appellants regarding their efforts and process. We continue to press for more information and more community involvement in the re-analysis of this project.

Media coverage: KRQE   |   Albuquerque Journal   |   KOAT   |   Citydesk

A Call to Action

Make your voice heard! Email the County in advance of the May 12 BCC hearing. Below are the options to submit electronic public comment on the proposed PNM Substation in North Albuquerque Acres (CSU2025-0009/SPR2025-0006).

PREFERRED: Prior to April 17, 2026, comments submitted to Kiverson@bernco.gov will be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) as part of the agenda item packet.

Between April 18, 2026 and May 8, 2026 comments submitted to Kiverson@bernco.gov will be collected and presented to the BCC for their consideration to enter them into the public record at the May 12, 2026 public hearing.

Prior to the May 12, 2026 public hearing, the BCC will take written public comments at the following link: https://www.bernco.gov/boards-commissions/speak-at-a-meeting/

Suggested points to include in your email comments:

The permit application submitted by PNM is incomplete and inaccurate (as demonstrated by the SHHA appeal) and should be rejected.

Voice your support for the SHHA appeal and the other two appeals objecting to the Planning Commission recommendation for approval of PNM’s permit application.

Thank the County Commissioners for their decision at the January 27 hearing that additional analyses are required before they can act on the PNM Permit application and the appeals.

📅 Mark your calendar for the next county hearing scheduled for 3:00pm, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at the Bernalillo County Council Chambers, 415 Silver SW.

We need to demonstrate that the community remains focused on PNM’s ill-conceived and inadequately supported project.

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Why Sandia Heights Residents Oppose PNM’s Proposed Substation Site on Paseo del Norte between Browning and Lowell Streets

There were errors in applying the adopted county plan, policies, and ordinances in reaching the decision to place the substation.

PNM has not complied with applicable zoning requirements, blatantly disregarding standards for utility infrastructure planning studies, placement, scenic protection, and neighborhood compatibility. The North Albuquerque Acres Sector Development Plan explicitly requires preservation of the area’s rural character, yet the placement of the substation and high-voltage transmission lines clearly deviates from that plan.

There is a clear, unacceptable lack of compliance with the BernCo Electric Facility Plan (EFP), which defines standards for siting and constructing electric infrastructure in Bernalillo County. The substation project, previously designated as Project 12 (La Cueva Substation) under the EFP, was explicitly intended to provide substation capacity to meet the specific and growing demands of residential and commercial development near Paseo del Norte and San Pedro/Wyoming. The currently proposed substation site is approximately 3.5 miles east of this targeted area. PNM has failed to provide comprehensive data or power-demand modeling—such as forecasts and simulations—to justify this significant shift in location and substation requirements.

The siting study commissioned by PNM, along with its expert consultant, Burns and McDonnell, was incomplete and contained errors. The substation siting study, submitted only in draft form as an attachment to the PNM application, was not only incomplete but also contained errors.

A link to the SHHA appeal: https://sandiahomeowners.org/storage/app/media/PNM/SHHA-Appeal.pdf

A link to BernCo Electric Facility Plan https://www.bernco.gov/planning/wp-content/uploads/sites/58/2021/03/FINAL-COA-BernCo-EFPwith-security-4-26-12.pdf

Why Sandia Heights Residents Oppose PNM’s Proposed Tramway Blvd Route for High Voltage Power Lines

I. Wildfire Risk and Evacuation Constraints

1. High Fire Risk Confirmed by Official Plans

Official regional plans identify Sandia Heights as a high wildfire risk area. The Albuquerque and Bernalillo County Hazard Mitigation Plan (2022–2027) ranks wildfire as Highly Likely with Extensive and Catastrophic potential impacts, while the Bernalillo County Community Wildfire Protection Plan designates Sandia Heights North (La Luz) as HIGH risk and Sandia Heights South as MEDIUM risk. The proposed Tramway transmission corridor lies directly within the Wildland–Urban Interface, where wildfire can rapidly spread between vegetation and structures.

2. Community Mitigation Efforts and Added Risk

Many Sandia Heights residents have undertaken fire mitigation measures, including home hardening, fuels reduction, and ongoing property maintenance, guided by recommendations from SHHA’s volunteer-run Environment and Safety Committee. Adding new high-voltage infrastructure along a high-risk Wildland–Urban Interface corridor increases potential ignition sources and may complicate aerial wildfire suppression operations, placing additional risk onto a community already working to reduce wildfire exposure.

3. Evacuation Limitations Unique to Sandia Heights

Tramway Boulevard is the sole ingress and egress route for Sandia Heights residents on the east side. Any closure of Tramway, whether due to wildfire response, helicopter operations, or arroyo hazards, would leave the community with no viable evacuation route. By comparison, the Eubank route offers multiple exit corridors and substantially lower Wildland–Urban Interface exposure.

II. Sensitive Receptors, Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Exposure, and Selective Criteria

1. Selective Application of “Sensitive Receptor” Criteria

PNM excluded approximately 40 homes, Little Cloud Park, and the Tramway walking and biking trail, all located within 100 feet of the proposed towers, from its sensitive receptor analysis. At the same time, PNM relied on schools and parks located farther from proposed transmission lines to reject alternative routes. This inconsistent application reflects selective screening rather than a comprehensive evaluation of risk.

2. Lack of EMF Modeling

PNM has provided no transparent, quantitative electromagnetic field modeling for the Tramway Boulevard route. Homes, park users, walkers, runners, and people who use the bike path each day would be significantly closer to the transmission corridor than receptors cited elsewhere in PNM’s analysis. Decisions based solely on avoidance criteria, without exposure modeling, are incomplete and insufficient for responsible infrastructure planning.

III. Open Space, Scenic, and Multimodal Corridor Impacts

1. Impact on County and City Recreational Assets

The Tramway multiuse trail is part of the Bernalillo County Comprehensive Open Space Network, which the County has committed to preserve and protect from development. The Tramway bike path is designated by NMDOT as a Tier 1 Route, reflecting its high recreational demand and tourism value, and is among the most heavily used recreational corridors in New Mexico, with year-round use by families, seniors, commuters, and visitors.

2. Impact on Scenic Views and Tourism

The Sandia Peak Tramway is one of the region’s most significant tourist destinations, and visitors approaching via Paseo del Norte or Tramway Boulevard experience long stretches of unobstructed mountain views. The proposed route would place 90-foot transmission towers directly between visitors and the mountains, permanently altering this iconic scenic gateway.

3. Conflict with County Planning Priorities and Public Benefit

Bernalillo County, the City of Albuquerque, and NMDOT have designated the Tramway corridor for multimodal transportation improvements, trail and bikeway connectivity, open space preservation, and scenic view protection. Despite these designations, PNM’s siting documents state that there are no special resource factors and that no viewshed analysis is required. Transmission towers along Tramway would degrade the experience of many users each year and diminish one of the County’s most visible and valued public landscapes.

Links and Resources

• PNM project website: https://www.pnm.com/naa
• Detailed fire risk analysis by community member D.N. Jenkins:  View document 
• Firsthand account: Read Dave Becker’s account of a 2018 power line fire next to his property on Tramway Boulevard on page 10 of the February 2026 GRIT: https://sandiahomeowners.org/storage/app/media/grit/2026/2026-02_GRIT_final.pdf