Lea County, New Mexico Development: A Multi-gigawatt AI Infrastructure Platform

New Era Energy & Digital has secured a land option purchase agreement for approximately 3,500 acres in Lea County, New Mexico for the development of a large-scale AI infrastructure campus. The site is planned as a multi-gigawatt AI hub capable of supporting up to 7 GWs of capacity, combining large-scale compute infrastructure with dedicated energy generation.

A Vertically Integrated Energy Platform

The development is designed to integrate more than 2 GWs of natural gas-fired generation alongside a planned 5+ GWs nuclear installation. This dual-source power strategy is intended to deliver the baseload reliability, scalability, and energy security required for hyperscale AI, GPU, and high-performance computing workloads. Initial power delivery is currently targeted for 2028.

A Location Built for Energy-Backed Compute

Lea County was selected for its exceptional convergence of infrastructure and energy advantages, including:

  • Proximity to major natural gas transmission networks
  • Existing regional power infrastructure
  • Abundant water resources
  • High-speed fiber connectivity
  • A skilled workforce rooted in energy development

Engineering work will begin with comprehensive site evaluation, master planning, and full engineering design. Natural gas availability has already been confirmed for the planned generation assets, while technology selection for the nuclear component is advancing.

Enabling Rapid Hyperscale Deployment

The Lea County project reflects New Era’s vertically integrated infrastructure strategy, combining power generation, land ownership, and digital infrastructure within a single platform.

In addition to developing its own facilities, New Era plans to offer powered shell buildings and powered land lease solutions that allow hyperscale AI operators to deploy infrastructure quickly while reducing development timelines and total cost of ownership.

New Era is also working closely with the State of New Mexico to align the project with regional economic development and energy initiatives, positioning the area as a future center for large-scale AI infrastructure.