On a stretch of remote Ute Mountain Ute land outside Kirtland, tribal leaders, county officials, and private developers gathered on May 14 to break ground on Foxtail Flats and Four Mile Mesa—two sprawling solar and battery storage facilities that represent one of the largest renewable energy investments in the region's history. The ceremonial turning of soil marked not just the start of construction, but the culmination of years of negotiation and partnership between the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, local governments, and private developers working toward a shared vision of clean energy and ancestral stewardship.
Together, the two projects will generate 270 megawatts of solar energy paired with 180 megawatts of battery storage capacity, enough to supply long-term, fixed-price electricity to Los Alamos County and Public Service Company of New Mexico under 20-year power purchase agreements. Built almost entirely on Ute Mountain Ute land and projected to come online by spring 2027, the facilities will anchor New Mexico's transition away from fossil fuels while creating meaningful economic opportunity—at peak construction, the projects are expected to generate nearly 600 jobs.
Witter Swanson, the DESRI developer who orchestrated the groundbreaking ceremony on the morning of May 14, reflected on the years of work that made this moment possible. "These projects were not inevitable by any means," he said. "They took serious investment and commitment from the stakeholders over a long period of time." Financing was finalized in April, and SOLV energy has already begun construction on the remote site, accessed by dirt roads about 45 minutes from Farmington.
Archie House Jr. from the Ute Tribe opened the ceremony with a blessing rooted in deep connection to place. "We stand upon Ute homelands here for our ancestors, walk, prayed, hunted and lived in balance with this land since time immortal," he said, concluding his prayer with gratitude for "the vision that guides this project" and the chance to move forward "with respect for the past and hope for the future." His words captured the delicate balance at the heart of this development—harnessing renewable energy on ancestral lands while honoring the stewardship responsibilities that come with that privilege.
Ute Councilman Alston Turtle echoed that theme of stewardship and collaboration, emphasizing that projects of this scale and significance cannot happen without genuine partnership. He praised the work of tribal staff, DESRI, and SOLV, while pointing out that the Ute Mountain Tribe's nearly 104,000 acres were formally acknowledged by New Mexico in a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding. "We've got to be better stewards of the land," Turtle said. "You know, use what was given to us by Mother Earth to benefit everything that's out there." He called for expanded collaboration among all of New Mexico's tribes, recognizing that such partnerships create impact far beyond Indian Country alone.
The groundbreaking brought together a broad coalition: the Ute Mountain Tribal Council, representatives from San Juan and Los Alamos counties, Tierra Adentra Growth Capital, the San Juan Citizens Alliance, and San Juan College. It was a gathering that reflected not consensus—which would be too simple—but rather a hard-won alignment of interests around climate action and tribal sovereignty. By spring 2027, when Foxtail Flats and Four Mile Mesa come online, they will stand as a tangible reminder that the clean energy future belongs to all of New Mexico, and that its shape is being determined by those whose roots run deepest in this land.