History of El Paso Electric in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: April 8, 2025

El Paso Electric is a public utility operating in west Texas and southern New Mexico. It generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to roughly 437,000 customers across residential, commercial, industrial, and wholesale sectors. The company's power generation portfolio includes nuclear fuel, natural gas, purchased power, and renewable sources like solar and wind. El Paso Electric maintains six generating facilities with a total dependable capacity of about 2,010 megawatts.

August 30, 1901: El Paso Electric began serving customers

On August 30, 1901, El Paso Electric (EPE) first began serving its customers. At the time, it was known as the El Paso Electric Railway Company, primarily providing transportation via mule-drawn streetcars.

1901: El Paso Electric Company Founded

In 1901, the El Paso Electric Company was founded and headquartered at the Stanton Tower in Downtown El Paso.

1902: Electric streetcars replace mule-drawn streetcars

In 1902, El Paso Electric replaced mule-drawn streetcars with electric streetcars.

1925: El Paso Electric Company shifts focus to electricity, changes name

By 1925, El Paso Electric Company's core business had evolved to producing and distributing electricity. In 1925, the company changed its name to the El Paso Electric Company and was authorized to transact business in New Mexico.

2003: Complaint filed against El Paso Electric

In January 2003, a complaint was filed against El Paso Electric alleging that the company issued materially false and misleading information by misrepresenting and/or omitting adverse facts concerning illegal arrangements with Enron Corporation and by artificially inflating revenues.

2005: Settlement reached in complaint against El Paso Electric

In 2005, El Paso Electric reached a settlement of $10,000,000 in the complaint filed against it.

2013: El Paso Electric supports electric vehicles

As of 2013, El Paso Electric had 32 electric car charging stations in its service area, supporting vehicles such as Nissan Leafs and Chevrolet Volts. The company also worked to expand adoption of electric vehicles through its Plug-in Electric Vehicle and Charging Infrastructure Plan (PEVCIP) for the Rio Grande Valley region.

February 20, 2014: El Paso Electric partners with Juwi Solar, Inc. to build a solar energy facility

On February 20, 2014, El Paso Electric signed an agreement with Colorado-based Juwi Solar, Inc., to build a 10 megawatt (MW) solar energy facility in Northeast El Paso. JSI will handle the development, design, building, and operation of the Newman Solar project. The construction of the new solar facility will power over 3,800 homes throughout the year.

2019: El Paso Electric reports annual operating revenues and net income

In 2019, El Paso Electric reported annual operating revenues of $862 million and a net income of $123 million.

July 29, 2020: El Paso Electric sold to Infrastructure Investments Fund

On July 29, 2020, El Paso Electric was sold to Infrastructure Investments Fund (IIF) with 99.61% of shareholders voting to approve the deal.

2020: El Paso Electric sold to Infrastructure Investments Fund

In 2020, El Paso Electric was sold to the Infrastructure Investments Fund (IIF), a fund associated with investment bank, J.P. Morgan. Before this acquisition, the company was publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange as EE.