Mesalands Community College Secures $4M to Restore Wind Turbine

The college's iconic wind turbine will be repowered after years of sitting idle.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari, New Mexico has secured $4 million in federal funding to restore and repower its iconic wind turbine, which has been idle for the past 2.5 years. The turbine is a key training asset for the college's wind energy technology program, and the repowered version will generate 2.5 megawatts of electricity, nearly double the previous capacity.

Why it matters

The restoration of Mesalands' wind turbine is crucial for providing hands-on training for students in the college's wind energy technology program, ensuring they gain experience on modernized systems comparable to those used in active wind farms. It also aligns with New Mexico's growing wind energy sector and the need for skilled technicians to support it.

The details

The $4 million in federal funding was secured by U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and will cover a significant portion of the estimated $5 to $5.5 million total cost to repower the turbine. Mesalands will now seek additional funding from the state's Higher Education Department to cover the remaining costs. The repowered turbine will be capable of generating 2.5 megawatts of electricity, up from the previous 1.5 megawatts, and could potentially power the entire campus and feed into the local Xcel Energy grid.

  • The college's wind turbine went idle about 2.5 years ago.
  • The $4 million in federal funding was secured as part of fiscal-year 2026 federal appropriations.

The players

Mesalands Community College

A community college in Tucumcari, New Mexico that offers a wind energy technology program and operates a wind turbine as a training asset.

Martin Heinrich

A U.S. Senator from New Mexico who secured the $4 million in federal funding to repower Mesalands' wind turbine.

Allen Moss

The president of Mesalands Community College.

Joel Kiser

The vice president of academic affairs at Mesalands Community College.

Impact Wind

A partner organization that will use the repowered wind turbine for training purposes.

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What they’re saying

“This is a huge step to accomplishing this project. We placed this on our capital outlay request with (Higher Education Department) this past summer for $6 million. Now that we have the federal funding, we will again make the request for remaining funds from HED. We believe there is strong support from the state, HED and our local legislator to see this project through.”

— Allen Moss, President, Mesalands Community College

“We are grateful to Sen. Heinrich and his office for recognizing the importance of rural colleges in preparing the next generation of skilled energy technicians.”

— Allen Moss, President, Mesalands Community College

“The turbine repower allows us to better align instruction with employer needs, reduce onboarding time, and provide a consistent pipeline of skilled technicians ready to support New Mexico's growing wind energy sector.”

— Joel Kiser, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Mesalands Community College

What’s next

Mesalands Community College will now seek the remaining $1-1.5 million in funding from the New Mexico Higher Education Department to fully cover the cost of repowering the wind turbine.

The takeaway

The restoration of Mesalands' wind turbine is a critical investment in preparing the next generation of skilled wind energy technicians to support New Mexico's growing renewable energy sector, while also providing hands-on training opportunities for students in the college's wind energy technology program.