The Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) has announced it is a finalist for a $95.6
million funding award from the New ERA Program through the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). The funding is for the KCEC Questa Green Hydrogen Project, an innovative clean energy project benefiting the entire KCEC service territory in northern New Mexico while repurposing reclaimed water from a closed mine.

“This project’s success sends a clear message: New Mexico is, and will continue to be, a national leader in clean hydrogen,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “Not only will this facility substantially upgrade Northern New Mexico’s energy resilience, but it will also provide hundreds of jobs to our state’s rural communities.”

"I worked hard to pass the transformative clean energy investments in the Inflation Reduction Act so we could achieve our ambitious climate goals while creating good-paying careers and substantially lowering utility costs for hardworking New Mexicans," said Senator Martin Heinrich.

"This includes the new Empowering Rural America Program that aims to dramatically expand clean power generation and delivery to rural communities like the ones in Northern New Mexico served by the Kit Carson Electric Coop. I'm pleased to see Kit Carson's application for this program advance. I will continue working to deliver strong investments to communities all across our state to build a cleaner, healthier, and more affordable energy future."

Today’s funding announcement is in addition to a $500,000 award KCEC received from the United States Department of Energy earlier this year to fund planning and safety studies for the proposed green hydrogen project.

“By moving substantially closer to fully funding this important and innovative project, our community has proven we can tackle big goals when we work together,” said Bobby Ortega, president of the KCEC Board of Trustees.