Home Care In Santa Teresa, NM

The nation’s largest border crossing for livestock between the U.S. and Mexico — in Santa Teresa, New Mexico — will not reopen as planned Monday, and is indefinitely delayed after further detection this month of the parasitic New World screwworm.

The crossing has been closed since May 11 when U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the immediate suspension of live cattle, horse and bison imports through the U.S., following the detection of the pest in southern Mexico states of Oaxaca and Veracruz, about 700 miles from the border. After the May closures, the USDA released a plan in early July to pursue staggered reopenings of livestock border crossings, which would have opened Santa Teresa on July 21.

However, unexplained cases detected further north in Mexico than expected re-closed all border crossings, New Mexico Department of Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte told Source NM. While the ongoing closure’s direct impact on New Mexico agriculture is small, it has big implications for beef nationwide.

“Most of the cattle that come in through Santa Teresa end up going to other states’ feed lots or pastures, destined for places like Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska,” Witte said via a telephone interview. “At one time there were trucks from 17 different states picking cattle up.”

The movement of the parasitic fly, previously eradicated from the U.S. for the last several decades, has disrupted international cattle trade through New Mexico, Arizona and Texas in the last several months. The screwworm’s name references the maggot’s behavior of burrowing into the flesh of a living animal, sometimes causing serious or fatal damage to livestock, wildlife and pets. Human cases, while rare, have been documented.

The USDA also announced the construction of an $8.5 million facility to raise sterilized flies to prevent further breeding in the wild, located at Moore Air Base in Mission, Texas and an additional $21 million for producing more sterile files at a facility in Metapa, Mexico. USDA also said it would further increase monitoring and data-sharing with Mexico officials along the border.

However, Mexico’s agricultural agents detected a new case farther north in Veracruz, just 370 miles away from the border on July 7, prompting USDA to scrap the reopening plan.

“The United States has promised to be vigilant — and after detecting this new NWS case, we are pausing the planned port reopening to further quarantine and target this deadly pest in Mexico,” Rollins said in a written July 9 statement. “We must see additional progress combating NWS in Veracruz and other nearby Mexican states in order to reopen livestock ports along the Southern border.”

Daniel Manzanares, the director of the Santa Teresa international crossing, told Source NM that USDA has not said when the reopening will happen.

The crossing is privately owned by the Unión Ganadera Regional De Chihuhua Co-op, often moving cattle from Northern Mexico — in Chihuahua and Sonora — into U.S. feed lots. The pest has not been detected in the northern portion of Mexico, but cattle still can’t cross.

In prior years, about 270,000 animals would have crossed through the border by now, Manzanares said. This year, with the closures, only one third, or 74,000 have made it across, necessitating lay offs of half of the 32 hired hands for transporting cattle.

“It’s just severely impacted all kinds of industry down here, from the truckers that drive to the buyers, the cattle brokers, we’ve laid off employees that won’t come back,” he said. “It’s just breaking a lot of people.”

New York developer DESRI, together with utility El Paso Electric, starts construction of the 150 MWac Santa Teresa solar complex and its 600 MWh storage system, financed by an international banking consortium.

Independent power producer D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI) has closed financing and issued the notice to proceed for the hybrid Santa Teresa plant. The site will pair 150 MWac of photovoltaic capacity with a 600 MWh battery system. The move strengthens the long-term collaboration between DESRI and regional utility El Paso Electric (EPE). A twenty-year power purchase agreement secures the project’s revenues.

Multibank financing DNB Bank ASA and National Bank of Canada act as coordinating lead arrangers for the construction loan, joined by Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank and Korea Development Bank. Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas serves as administrative agent. No official amount has been disclosed, but financiers say the structure includes a senior tranche and liquidity guarantees to cover the testing phase. The closing confirms lenders’ appetite for solar assets backed by long-term contracts.

The non-recourse financing model relies on predictable cash flows from the power purchase agreement signed with EPE. Under the disclosed terms, Santa Teresa will deliver all its energy and capacity services to the utility, giving lenders cash-flow visibility. This approach limits exposure to wholesale price swings and facilitates the placement of fixed-rate debt. “The partnership demonstrates the strength of banking demand for competitive hybrid assets,” said Hy Martin, chief development officer of DESRI.

Impact on regional capacity EPE estimates the plant will cover the annual consumption of about sixty thousand households, providing reserve capacity during summer peaks. The battery system will extend solar output beyond daylight hours, cutting reliance on peaking thermal units. The company notes the new capacity comes as regional demand rises faster than the national average. Expected frequency-regulation services should also ease constraints on the transmission grid.

The Santa Teresa platform complements the Carne project, a 130 MWac, 260 MWh plant under construction since 2024 in the same service area. Together, the two assets will bring contracted solar capacity between DESRI and EPE to 280 MWac. Executives at both companies see the ramp-up as a way to smooth production curves and defer investment in combined-cycle turbines. The strategy aligns with EPE’s goal of diversifying its fleet while keeping tariffs competitive.

Supply chain and schedule LG Energy Solution Vertech will supply lithium-ion battery systems assembled in the United States, along with the Aeros software suite for charge-discharge management. The contract includes long-term maintenance covering software updates and preventive cell replacement. Civil works and integration are entrusted to SOLV Energy, which already handles engineering and maintenance for the Carne project. The first modules are scheduled to arrive on site at the start of the fourth quarter, with commercial operation expected next year.

The schedule calls for a progressive ramp-up of the batteries to validate energy-management performance ahead of full certification by the local regulator. “This project marks a decisive moment for large-scale storage, and we stand ready to support the growing demand of the North American market,” said Jaehong Park, chief executive officer of LG Energy Solution Vertech.

The Santa Teresa solar and storage project in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, has entered the construction stage.

The project is being developed by DE Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI), in collaboration with El Paso Electric (EPE).

This renewable energy initiative includes a 150MW solar facility coupled with a substantial 600 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS).

The project is DESRI’s second venture within EPE's service area to break ground, following the Carne project which began its construction phase in 2024.

With an established 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with EPE, Santa Teresa will deliver clean electricity sufficient to meet the annual needs of 60,000 homes served by EPE.

DESRI chief development officer Hy Martin stated: "The Santa Teresa project is a cornerstone of DESRI's growing partnership with El Paso Electric and a prominent example of how cost-effective solar and storage assets can power New Mexico's future.

"The project not only contributes to regional grid stability via large-scale energy storage, but it also underscores our shared commitment to clean energy and economic development in Doña Ana County and across the state."

Financing for this development was secured through contributions from several financial institutions, including DNB Bank ASA's New York branch and National Bank of Canada as joint coordinating lead arrangers.

Additional support came from Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank Limited New York branch, and Korea Development Bank. Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas will oversee administrative aspects as part of its role.

El Paso Electric system planning and operations support vice-president Dave Hawkins stated: "This project is about more than adding solar power - it's about delivering lasting value to the communities and businesses we serve.

"By providing clean energy and added capacity to the entire region, we're strengthening reliability, supporting sustainability and investing in future economic development growth."

For technical components such as battery systems and software management tools, LG Energy Solution Vertech will be supplying US-manufactured BESS units along with their AEROS software suite under a long-term service arrangement.

SOLV Energy has been contracted not only for engineering, procurement and construction responsibilities but also for future operations and maintenance services once operational status is achieved.

In May, DESRI, in collaboration with Ranger Power, achieved financial closure and commenced the construction of two solar projects with a combined capacity of 290MW alternating current in Michigan.

Classified in: Oil industry, Environment

NEW YORK, July 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DESRI, in partnership with El Paso Electric (EPE), today announced that the Santa Teresa Solar and Storage project (Santa Teresa, or the Project) has achieved financial notice to proceed (FNTP) and commenced construction. Santa Teresa is a 150 megawatt (MWac) solar facility with a 600 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) located in Doña Ana County, New Mexico.

"The Santa Teresa Project is a cornerstone of DESRI's growing partnership with El Paso Electric and a prominent example of how cost-effective solar and storage assets can power New Mexico's future," said Hy Martin, Chief Development Officer of DESRI. "The Project not only contributes to regional grid stability via large-scale energy storage, but it also underscores our shared commitment to clean energy and economic development in Doña Ana County and across the state."

"This Project is about more than adding solar power - it's about delivering lasting value to the communities and businesses we serve," said Dave Hawkins, Vice President of System Planning and Operations Support at El Paso Electric. "By providing clean energy and added capacity to the entire region, we're strengthening reliability, supporting sustainability and investing in future economic development growth."

Santa Teresa has a 20-year power purchase agreement with EPE. The Project is expected to generate enough clean energy to power approximately 60,000 EPE customer homes each year. Santa Teresa is DESRI's second project to begin construction in EPE's territory, following the 130 MWac solar and 260 MWh BESS Carne project, which began construction in 2024.

Financing for the construction of the Project was provided by DNB Bank ASA, New York Branch and National Bank of Canada as Joint Coordinating Lead Arrangers, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited, New York Branch and Korea Development Bank. Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas acted as the Administrative Agent.

"During this hot summer, energy demand continues to rise. We're proud to be a part of a project that helps support the community by adding clean energy technology to the electric grid, and to do so using U.S. made battery systems," said Jaehong Park, CEO of LG Energy Solution Vertech. "This is a pivotal moment for energy storage, and we're working with DESRI and El Paso Electric to build on the momentum we've seen in the American energy storage market."

LG Energy Solution Vertech will provide U.S. made battery energy storage systems and the AEROStm software suite for the project with continuous support through a long-term service agreement. SOLV Energy will serve as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor for the Project and will also provide ongoing operations and maintenance services once the Project is operational.

About DESRIDESRI and its affiliates develop, acquire, own, and operate long-term contracted renewable energy assets in the U.S. DESRI's portfolio of contracted, operating, and in-construction renewable energy projects currently includes 70 solar and wind projects representing more than ten gigawatts of aggregate capacity.

About El Paso ElectricEl Paso Electric is an energy provider that is engaged in generation, transmission and distribution service to power approximately 465,000 customers in a 10,000 square mile area from Hatch, New Mexico to Van Horn, Texas. Major cities in the service region include El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico.

This press release is provided for the reader's information only and does not constitute investment advice or convey an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities or other financial products.

Please also note that this press release has not been updated since its dateline for any information contained in it that may have changed, including any beliefs and/or opinions. In addition, no assurances can be given that any aims, assumptions, expectations, and/or goals described in this release will be realized or that the activities or any performance described herein did or will continue at all or in the same manner as at the time of the press release.

SOURCE DESRI

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No sooner had the U.S. started its July 7 phased reopening of southern ports to cattle imports from Mexico than the border was slammed shut again the evening of July 9.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture had suspended imports of cattle, bison and horses from Mexico on May 11, 2025, because it felt Mexico was not doing enough to contain the northward spread of the deadly New World screwworm (NWS) fly.

After several discussions between U.S. and Mexican animal health officials, on-site assessments of Mexico’s NWS response efforts and progress made on Mexico allowing the U.S. team to conduct every-day sterile NWS fly dispersal – releasing more than 100 million flies each week – USDA decided on a risk-based phased reopening, starting with the port in Douglas, Ariz., on July 7.

Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development estimated that around 900 head of cattle moved through its quarantine station in Agua Prieta, Sonora, into the U.S. on Monday.

A mere two days later, however, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the renewed suspension of livestock trade after Mexico reported the detection of a new case of NWS in Veracruz in eastern Mexico, approximately 160 miles north of the current sterile fly dispersal grid and 370 miles south of the U.S. border with Mexico, according to USDA.

USDA said the new NWS case Mexico reported July 8 comes almost two months after northerly detections were reported in Oaxaca and Veracruz, less than 700 miles away from the U.S. border, which triggered the border closure in May.

As part of USDA’s recently announced reopening strategy, other ports in New Mexico and Texas were scheduled to reopen on tentative dates from July through Sept. 15, 2025. The agency said the new NWS detection “raises significant concern about the previously reported information shared by Mexican officials and severely compromises the outlined port reopening schedule of five ports,” giving the agency no choice but to immediately close livestock trade through southern ports of entry in order to protect domestic livestock and wildlife and the U.S. food supply.

“The United States has promised to be vigilant — and after detecting this new NWS case, we are pausing the planned port reopening’s to further quarantine and target this deadly pest in Mexico,” Rollins said. “We must see additional progress combatting NWS in Veracruz and other nearby Mexican states in order to reopen livestock ports along the southern border. Thanks to the aggressive monitoring by USDA staff in the U.S. and in Mexico, we have been able to take quick and decisive action to respond to the spread of this deadly pest.”

While some trade organizations were supportive of the reopening plan to help alleviate the shortage of cattle in the U.S., several other cattle groups banded together to pen a letter to Rollins urging USDA to delay the resumption of live cattle imports from Mexico until NWS is fully eradicated in Mexico. They warned of the potential risk to animal health and the food supply and the devastating impact on the domestic livestock and wildlife industries that would result from NWS spreading to the U.S.

The insect pest was eradicated from the U.S. in 1966 using the sterile insect technique. The U.S. and Mexico are both building sterile fly facilities to bolster production and fly releases and help stamp out NWS.

Mexico just announced the start of construction on a sterile fly production facility in Chiapas this week – a joint investment between the U.S. and Mexico that is expected to produce more than 100 million sterile insects per week once completed in 2026.

USDA also announced the groundbreaking of a sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in south Texas that is expected to be completed by the end of this year and will be able to disperse sterile NWS flies into northern Mexico. USDA is also considering building a sterile fly production facility at the air base. Both facilities willprovide “a critical contingency capability to disperse sterile flies” if NWS is detected in the southern U.S., the agency said.

USDA added that it is working on these efforts in lockstep with Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, taking a coordinated approach with federal, state and local partners to keep the pest out of the U.S.

“A key part of USDA’s strategy for protecting American agriculture is continuously monitoring conditions on the ground,” said Colin Woodall, chief executive officer of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, which was initially supportive of the phased border reopening. “Secretary Rollins has been working to balance the economic needs of U.S. cattle producers who rely on imports while at the same time protecting the overall U.S. cattle herd. The New World screwworm’s northward movement jeopardizes the safety of American agriculture, which is why Secretary Rollins paused cattle movement again until we can push the screwworm further from our border.”

Woodall added that although USDA has made progress with Mexico on the country’s NWS response efforts, “unfortunately, screwworm continues to move north through Mexico, and it’s clear that the United States needs a sterile fly facility of our own here at home. We cannot wait any longer, and we urge USDA to immediately begin work on a sterile fly facility.”

USDA noted that its personnel will continue to perform site visits in Mexico “to ensure the Mexican government has adequate protocols and surveillance in place to combat this pest effectively and efficiently.”

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