PNM Northeast Albuquerque Substation and Transmission Line Proposal
Current status: Bernalillo County denied PNM’s application on May 12, 2026. PNM has appealed that decision to the New Mexico Second Judicial District Court.
Official information: PNM: Protect the Grid | PNM Project Page | PNM Conservation Request
Media coverage: KRQE | Albuquerque Journal | KOAT | City Desk ABQ
Join the discussion: PNM Community Updates Google Group
Current Status
On September 28, 2026, PNM filed its Statement of Appellant Issues (Statement) with the New Mexico Second Judicial Court. The Statement outlines the issues PNM is raising in its appeal.
After reviewing the Statement, the SHHA PNM Special Task Group and the North Albuquerque Acres Residents Coalition (NAARC) met with their jointly retained attorney, Michael Cadigan of the Cadigan Law Firm, to discuss the filing and his recommendations for SHHA’s response. SHHA and NAARC are coordinating their efforts. NAARC is a coalition of hundreds of residents North Albuquerque Acres and is not part of the North Albuquerque Acres Community Association (NAACA).
SHHA/NAARC and the other parties opposing PNM’s appeal—including Bernalillo County and Dale Morrison—must file their responses within 30 days of PNM’s filing. PNM will then have 15 days to reply.
Once those filings are complete, the judge will review the record, which contains thousands of pages. A decision could take several months. The judge may hold a hearing before ruling or issue a decision based on the written filings and the record.
The judge may deny PNM’s appeal, grant it, or send the case back to the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners for further consideration. If the judge grants PNM’s appeal, SHHA and the other opposing parties may appeal that decision to the New Mexico Court of Appeals.
We will keep you updated,
The SHHA PNM Special Task Group
Please check the Sandia Heights Homeowner’s Association (SHHA) PNM website for any updates at:
https://www.sandiahomeowners.org/stop-pnm-towers
Background
On July 25, 2025, PNM filed an application to the County of Bernalillo (BernCo) Planning Commission to build a 66 MVA substation on Paseo del Norte between Browning and Lowell, and an associated 1.9-mile, 115 kV transmission line running along Paseo del Norte and Tramway Blvd. The 115 kV transmission line would directly impact 37 homes and the multi-use scenic trail along Tramway Blvd.
On September 4, 2025, the BernCo Planning Commission conducted a hearing on the proposed substation and associated transmission lines. The Planning Commission issued a continuance on the decision until December 3, 2025, with guidance to PNM to engage with the SHHA on the proposed Tramway route.
In October 2025, the SHHA alerted the Sandia Heights community in the GRIT and by an email blast that there were concerns regarding the substation and the 115 kV lines to be placed down Tramway Blvd between the multi-use trail and the roadway.
On November 13, 2025, the SHHA hosted a community information session. The SHHA also chartered a bus to transport residents to the BernCo Planning Commission's December 3rd meeting.
Although many SHHA residents attended (the room was packed) and spoke at the County Planning Commission hearing on December 3, 2025, and submitted 485 letters and emails, the Planning Commission approved PNM’s application despite the facts and evidence presented by SHHA and others, and the final approval rests with the Bernalillo Board of County Commissioners.
Appeals
The SHHA appealed the Planning Commission’s December 3, 2025, recommendation to approve PNM’s Sector Development Plan Amendment and Special Use Permit for a new electrical substation on Paseo del Norte (between Browning and Lowell) and an associated 1.9-mile, 115 kV transmission line running along Paseo del Norte and Tramway Blvd. The SHHA appeal cited inconsistencies with county plans/ordinances, conflicts with approved plans, nonconformance with the Bernalillo County Electric Facility Plan, fire safety, health/safety, property devaluation, and impacting a scenic corridor. Two other appeals were submitted from the North Albuquerque Acres Residents Coalition (NAARC), and Dale Morrison.
The BernCo County Commission
The County Commission scheduled a hearing on January 27, 2026. The SHHA established a webpage to keep residents updated.
At the January 27, 2026, hearing, the Bernalillo Board of County Commissioners (Board of Commissioners) continued the hearing for 120 days,
requesting additional analysis of the project, including independent third-party analysis of the substation siting, transmission corridor siting, and feasibility and estimated costs of running transmission lines underground.
On May 12, 2026, the Board of County Commissioners granted the community appeals and denied PNM’s application for the proposed substation and transmission-line project.
On June 15, 2026, PNM filed a Notice of Appeal in the New Mexico Second Judicial District Court, naming the Board of Commissioners and the three original appellants (SHHA, Robert Dale Morrison, NAARC) as appellees.
The SHHA hired attorney Michael Cadigan to represent the SHHA at its June 29, 2026, Special Meeting.
On June 15, 2026, Bernalillo County filed the Administrative Record (all the documents and transcripts from the Bernalillo County hearings) in the Second Judicial District Court.
On August 4, 2026, PNM requested a 45-day extension to file their Statement of Appellate Issues due to their law firm having a virus problem. The judge approved. We anticipate the PNM Statement of Appellate to be filed sometime toward the end of September 2026.
September 28, 2026
PNM filed its Statement of Appellant Issues. SHHA, and the North Albuquerque Acres Resident Coalition (NAARC), will file a joint 25-page Response Brief to the Statement of Appellant Issues approximately October 29, 2026, in which we will rebut PNM’s claims. Bernalillo County and Dale Morrison will also file their responses. Then, 15 days after that, PNM can file a Reply. At that juncture the District Court Judge, Dan Ramczyk, at its convenience, will either hold a hearing on the matter or decide it on the record and paperwork as submitted. This process may take up to a year.
Whoever loses can file a petition for writ of certiorari to the Court of Appeals within 30 days after the Second Judicial District Court makes its decision.
The PNM Special Task Group will keep you updated on the website. For more detail, please check the August 2026 GRIT which is online at:
https://www.sandiahomeowners.org/storage/app/media/grit/2026/GRIT-2026-08_v2.pdf
Thank You
Thank you to everyone who wrote letters, made telephone calls, reviewed technical materials, attended meetings, provided testimony, or otherwise participated in the County proceedings.
Hundreds of residents contributed their time, knowledge, and voices. That participation ensured that the proposal received careful public review and that community concerns became part of the official record.