Pattern Energy held a grand opening for its Western Spirit Wind power facilities in Central New Mexico. The four wind projects located in Guadalupe, Lincoln and Torrance Counties total more than 1,050 MW, enough to provide power to 900,000 Americans annually.
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.
News item from Pattern Energy
Filed Under: Components, News, Projects, Turbines
