PNM Substation and Tramway Transmission Line Proposal
Status update: Following extensive public testimony on January 27, 2026, the Bernalillo County Commission unanimously continued the case for 120 days and directed PNM to complete additional studies, including analysis of undergrounding the transmission lines, a complete substation siting report, and a transmission line siting study that has not previously been conducted. The Commission also directed that the project be subject to third-party review.
Media coverage: KRQE | Albuquerque Journal | KOAT | Citydesk
A Call to Action
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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