Power Plants:
Economic Benefits
Power plants bring high-paying jobs and generate other economic
benefits to the communities in which they are located.
- Power plants offer high-paying jobs.
- San Juan Generating Station, which PNM operates, employs
435 workers in San Juan County and has an annual payroll
of $25 million. A large percentage of San Juan employees
have worked there for 20 years or more – testament
to the good working environment and high-paying jobs.
- Four Corners Generating Station, operated by Arizona Public
Service, employs about 570 employees, 73 percent of which
are members of the Navajo Nation.
- Lordsburg Generating Station, which became operational
in June 2002, employs four people with about $200,000 in
annual pay.
- Afton Generating Station, operational in fall 2002, will
employ six to eight people full-time with an annual payroll
of $400,000.
Economic studies show that power plants bring money to their
cities, counties, states and school districts.
- San Juan Generating Station is the largest payer of property
taxes in San Juan County, at $6.6 million per year. In addition,
plant owners pay $49.5 million in royalty and taxes of coal
deliveries to the plant. The plant also spends more than
$33 million a year in purchases and contracts.
- Afton Generating Station, operational in 2002, will generate
a net total of $66.8 million in state and local taxes over
a 10-year period. Doña Ana County, in southern New
Mexico, will experience a positive fiscal impact of $7.4
million from increased tax revenues. The area school district
will benefit from $4.7 million from taxes on the project
during the next 10 years.
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