PNM Picks Aconex to Support Environmental Upgrade of Power Plant

ALBUQUERQUE, NM--(Marketwired - Nov 19, 2013) -  Aconex, provider of the world's most widely used project collaboration solutions for the power, construction, infrastructure, mining, and oil and gas industries, has been selected by Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) to support the environmental upgrade of its San Juan Generating Station. San Juan is a coal-fired power plant near Farmington, NM, which serves more than 2 million electricity customers. PNM is a regulated utility and New Mexico's largest provider of electricity.

The environmental upgrade project targets San Juan's compliance with federal visibility regulations concerning regional haze caused by power plant pollutants. The project, approved by the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board and subject to the approval of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), would retire two of San Juan's four coal-fired power generating units by the end of 2017 and install nitrogen-oxide reduction technology at the other two units by early 2016. The upgrade is expected to control haze-forming and carbon emissions, while reducing water usage and coal combustion byproducts. The estimated value of the multi-year project exceeds $100 million.

PNM will use the Aconex Online Collaboration Platform to manage project information and processes across a multi-company design, engineering and construction team. Different organizations on the team will be able to share documents, drawings and correspondence on a secure, neutral platform for improved efficiency and risk management. Workflows defined by PNM will automate reviews, approvals and other critical processes. The Aconex platform will maintain a complete and accurate audit trail of all project activities and communications for compliance and reporting purposes.

"We selected Aconex for a number of reasons," said Evelin Wheeler, executive director, generation development, at PNM Resources (NYSE: PNM), an electric utility holding company which operates PNM. "Unlike internal file-sharing software, the Aconex platform provides access to project information and implements standard processes across multiple independent contractors, consultants and vendors. It also supports web-like searches that allow us to quickly find information."

Wheeler added that customer service and support delivered by Aconex range from hands-on operations consulting for project set-up to online training and documentation. 

Frank Kopas, general manager of the Americas at Aconex, said: "The San Juan project is a key win for us in the power segment, and we look forward to helping PNM ensure successful delivery. As the U.S. economy continues to improve, demand for electricity and other forms of energy will grow. Utilities will need to build and upgrade their infrastructure in environmentally sustainable ways -- just as PNM is doing with the San Juan Generating Facility."

About Aconex
Aconex provides the world's most widely used SaaS platform for managing information, processes and people throughout the lifecycle of construction and engineering projects across multiple industries. The Aconex suite of solutions -- secure, neutral and centralized -- enables owners, contractors and project managers to reduce the cost and risk inherent in capital projects of all sizes and improve efficiency, productivity and accountability for all project participants. Aconex has served projects valued at more than US$800 billion, with over 430,000 users. Clients include many of the world's largest power companies, nine of the world's top ten EPC/EPCM firms, 23 of the 25 largest global design firms, and nearly all Fortune 500 construction and engineering companies. For more information and examples of Aconex in action, see www.aconex.com. Follow Aconex on Twitter at @aconex and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/aconex.