January 5, 2021
New Mexico

Pattern Energy moves forward on wind farms, transmission line through New Mexico

By Ron Davis, Reporter | Albuquerque Business First | Jan 4, 2021 | www.bizjournals.com

After closing on financing, Pattern Energy Group LP has broke ground on new wind farms and a new transmission line to help power New Mexico.

San Francisco-based Pattern Energy announced Monday that construction is underway on the 150-mile Western Spirit transmission line and Western Spirit wind farms in Guadalupe, Lincoln and Torrance counties. Pattern Energy has more than 4,500 megawatts of New Mexico wind power in operation or development, according to a news release. The wind farms total more than 1,000 megawatts of power.

These projects could begin commercial operation by the end of 2021.

Minnesota-based Blattner Energy is the lead contractor for the construction of the wind farms, while Arizona-based EC Source is the lead contractor for the construction of the transmission line, said Cary Kottler, Vice President of North American Development at Pattern Energy.

“This is a big day for New Mexico as we ramp up more than a gigawatt of our Western Spirit Wind projects for the largest single-phase construction of renewable power in U.S. history,” said Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Energy, in a statement. “Tapping some of the best wind in the world, the Western Spirit Wind projects have a powerful generation profile with an evening peak that is a perfect complement to daytime solar and displaces the need for more expensive, ramping fossil fuels.”

The transmission line is a collaboration between Pattern Energy and the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority and is being constructed in conjunction with the wind farms.

Upon its acquisition of the transmission line, PNM will operate it after its commissioning, according to a release.

Sister publication the Houston Business Journal reported in November 2019 that Pattern had an agreement in place to sell it to Public Service Co. of New Mexico for about $300 million. The publication also reported that the transmission line will enable more than $1 billion of wind farm projects.

“New Mexico is home to some of the strongest winds in the country and Pattern Energy is committed to harnessing this natural power source to create more than one thousand new jobs and generate more than $2 billion in net economic impact,” Garland said.

Business First reported last month that Xcel Energy completed the 522 megawatt Sagamore Wind Farm in Roosevelt County a year after breaking ground on the project.

[rest of article available at source]


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/01/05/pattern-energy-moves-forward-on-wind-farms-transmission-line-through-new-mexico/