New Mexico is targeting 7 gigawatts of added energy storage by 2034 under a bill approved by the New Mexico Senate in a 25-11 vote, Kallanish reports.

The bill now goes to the state House of Representatives and its Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee. The legislation would require investor-owned utilities to have battery storage systems available by 2034. It is the second such move in the last week by a US state. The Michigan House of Representatives previously approved a bill with an energy-storage target of 2.5 GW by 2030.

New Mexico’s three investor-owned utilities - the Public Service Co of New Mexico, El Paso Eelectric and Xcel Energy - serve about 73% of the state’s population. The rules would not apply to smaller utilities and electric cooperatives.

Under the plan, the three electric utilities would have to submit annual battery storage plans to the state’s Public Regulation Commission. The bill was requested by the American Clean Power Association, state officials report.