New Mexico jail completes $13.9M energy savings project

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The jail that serves New Mexico’s largest metropolitan area has completed a multimillion-dollar project aimed at reducing electricity demands and utility costs.

The project at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center spanned 16 months, with substantial upgrades wrapping up this month.

The work included installation of a rooftop solar panel system; replacing 7,000 lighting fixtures with LEDs and controls; converting boilers to a methane system fueled by a nearby landfill; and putting in high-efficiency electrical transformers and new heating and cooling equipment.

Officials say they’ll save about $534,000 in the first year. They expect to see a nearly 50% reduction in annual utility costs, and another $79,000 in operations and maintenance costs will be saved every year.