SunZia Transmission will enable access to the 3,500+ MW SunZia Wind project, powering the needs of more than 3 million Americans. Pattern Energy

Pattern Energy also received two separate unanimous approvals from the New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission related to its more than 3,500 MW SunZia Wind project in central New Mexico. The projects continue to work with federal agencies including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), as well as local jurisdictions and stakeholders, to finalize remaining approvals to allow construction on the projects to begin on schedule in mid-2023.

The SunZia Wind project represents over 3,500 MW of new renewable generation located in Torrance, Lincoln and San Miguel Counties, making it the largest wind project in the Western Hemisphere. SunZia Transmission is a 550-mile, 525-kV high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line between central New Mexico and south-central Arizona, with the capacity to transport 3,000 MW of clean, renewable energy.

Together, SunZia Wind and Transmission compose the largest renewable energy infrastructure project in U.S. history, with a total investment of more than $8 billion and enough energy to power the needs of more than 3 million Americans. Both projects are privately funded and will deliver over $1 billion in estimated direct economic benefits to governments, communities, schools and private landowners across Arizona and New Mexico.

A key initiative for SunZia has been following through on an extended engagement with local, regional, and national conservation stakeholders. As a result of this commitment and consultation, SunZia Transmission is setting a precedent with a gold standard in environmental mitigation projects developed hand-in-hand with the environmental community. SunZia Wind has established robust environmental best practices to reduce project impacts and study effective habitat restoration strategies in partnership with local and state experts.

“We thank Arizona and New Mexico for welcoming SunZia Transmission and SunZia Wind,” said Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Energy. “The unanimous decision by the ACC to grant a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility for the SunZia Transmission line represents a major milestone towards the completion of this project. We are excited to get to work on the revolutionary SunZia Transmission line which will be the conduit for the largest wind project in U.S. history, our 3,500+ MW SunZia Wind facility in New Mexico.”

The SunZia project is expected to create more than 2,000 construction jobs and up to 150 permanent jobs.

Originally approved in 2015, SunZia Transmission’s route was adjusted from a collaboration with the Department of Defense and White Sands Missile Range, while also taking advantage of the opportunity to partially parallel the existing Western Spirit Transmission line for 35 miles, minimizing environmental impact along the route. Final project approvals including the BLM Record of Decision are anticipated to be issued by April 2023.

Throughout the development process, the SunZia Wind and Transmission Projects have worked with the public, BLM, landowners, ranchers, and numerous wildlife conservation agencies such as the Audubon Society and Defenders of Wildlife, to foster productive dialogue about the environmental review of these projects, listen to concerns and recommendations and incorporate feedback from these communities to make the projects more environmentally compatible as a result of this engagement.

“SunZia is proof that New Mexico is leading the charge in the clean energy transition,” said U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich. “Once completed, this project will result in the largest wind farm in the Western Hemisphere, producing thousands of construction jobs and delivering billions in private capital investments that will ignite rural economic development across the Southwest.”

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Pattern Energy’s Western Spirit Wind facility in New Mexico

“This project is doing it all: creating good-paying jobs, providing clean power to New Mexico and beyond, and cutting emissions from the energy sector,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “New Mexico is leading the pack — nationally and globally — in the renewable energy space. At the state level, at the county level, at the city level, at the village level — New Mexico is all in on the economic and environmental benefits this industry provides.”

Western Spirit Wind will provide renewable energy to California and New Mexico through long-term power purchase agreements with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, San José Clean Energy, East Bay Community Energy, California Choice Energy Authority and member cities and international energy company Uniper Global Commodities, which provides power to local New Mexicans.

“The largest wind power project in the entire country is now producing strong benefits for the state of New Mexico, including millions of dollars in tax revenue to local counties and school districts,” said Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Energy. “This is just the beginning. We have committed to $6 billion in upcoming wind energy and related infrastructure projects in New Mexico over the next decade, putting thousands of people to work. Together, we are building a cleaner and more sustainable future.”

The four wind power facilities use a total of 377 GE wind turbines ranging from 2.3 to 2.8 MW in size. The GE turbines utilize various tower heights to optimize the wind capture at each facility. Blattner Energy was the EPC Contractor for the four wind facilities.

“The energy we receive from Western Spirit will power 186,000 San José homes annually with clean, pollution-free electricity for the next 15 years,” said San José Mayor Sam Liccardo. “I’m proud that San José Clean Energy is helping invest in California’s renewable energy future so we can leave a more livable planet to future generations.”

The wind project and accompanying transmission line employed approximately 1,500 workers during peak construction, including heavy equipment operators, electricians and laborers. Going forward, more than 50 workers will operate and maintain the Western Spirit Wind facilities in New Mexico.

Western Spirit Wind is projected to provide an estimated $3 million per year for the three counties and two school districts in the project area.

The Western Spirit Transmission line connected these projects to the grid and was developed jointly by Pattern Energy and the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority. The 155-mile 345-kV transmission line, completed in December, is delivering wind power from Western Spirit Wind in central New Mexico to the electric grid managed by the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) near Albuquerque.

PNM now owns and will operate the transmission line. The transmission line was constructed by EC Source, a MasTec Company.

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Pattern Energy’s Clines Corner Wind project, which is part of the 1,050 MW Western Spirit Wind project in New Mexico.

The power will be delivered from Pattern Energy’s 1,050 MW Western Spirit Wind project, which is currently under construction in New Mexico and represents the largest single-phase renewable power build-out in U.S. history. Western Spirit Wind is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

“A large part of our business is about helping communities, municipalities, cooperatives, utility companies and commercial and industrial loads achieve their energy decarbonization objectives in a cost-effective manner,” said Marc Merrill, president and CEO of Uniper North America. “We provide customized energy solutions that collectively address both reliability-of-supply and environmental concerns, which is why we’re happy to be working with Pattern Energy to bring additional renewable generation benefits to New Mexico and other western states.”

Western Spirit Wind will be constructed in conjunction with the Western Spirit Transmission Line, an approximately 150-mile 345-kV_ac transmission line that will add accessibility for New Mexico’s wind resources to reach the electricity grid in the state and the broader western markets.

The Western Spirit Transmission line is being developed jointly between Pattern Energy and the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority (RETA) and will interconnect directly into the Public Service Company of New Mexico system (PNM). PNM will acquire and operate the transmission line upon its commissioning.

“We welcome this partnership with Uniper and look forward to providing New Mexico wind power to New Mexico consumers from our new Western Spirit Wind project,” said Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Energy. “Construction on Western Spirit Wind — the largest wind project in North America — is on schedule with 1,000 workers on site. The wind resource at Western Spirit Wind is one of the strongest in the country and has an evening ramp that creates an ideal complement to daytime solar power.”

News item from Pattern Energy

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