Sustainability Partners outlines "infrastructure-as-a-service" model and seeks projects in Sandoval County

Sustainability Partners representatives presented the company's infrastructure-as-a-service model to the Sandoval County Board of County Commissioners and answered commissioners' questions about possible applications in the county's unincorporated and rural communities.

Greg Seeley, an infrastructure partner with Sustainability Partners, described the firm as a public-benefit company that structures projects using a utility-services agreement model to attract capital with "0 upfront costs, non-debt approach to capitalizing critical infrastructure projects." Maya Rodriguez, the company's operations director for New Mexico, said the firm is already working on solar installations in Albuquerque, water metering projects and an electric-vehicle statewide price agreement.

When Commissioner Jones asked how much the firm planned to invest in New Mexico, Seeley said the company's goal is to "invest a billion dollars in the state of New Mexico" and that it is developing projects across the state. Commissioner Brook and others said they were particularly interested in water, wastewater and broadband projects for unincorporated areas of the county.

Seeley said the firm coordinates design teams, vendors and financing and keeps payment contingent on system performance: "If the infrastructure does not work, then we don't get paid." Commissioners welcomed the briefing and asked staff to follow up where local needs align with the firm's offerings. No formal county action was taken.