ACCIONA, a company that specializes in the development and management of infrastructure and renewable energy, has begun the process of energizing wind turbines at La Chalupa in Texas. When fully operational, the wind farm will be ACCIONA’s largest U.S. asset, at 198 MW, and will push the company’s U.S. portfolio to over 1,000 MW.
Located in Cameron County, where the company already owns and operates the San Roman (93 MW, 2016) and Palmas Altas (145 MW, 2019) wind farms, La Chalupa will produce more than 650 GWh a year. The project is equipped with 63 Nordex AWP 3150 wind turbines.
“This new investment highlights ACCIONA’s commitment to the U.S. renewables market,” says Rafael Esteban, director of ACCIONA’s energy division in the U.S. “It will allow us to pass 1,000 MW of installed capacity in the U.S., where we also have a major portfolio of renewable projects under development.”
The Nordex AWP 3150 wind turbines installed at La Chalupa are similar to those in the Palmas Altas, which are suitable for the wind resource of the area. They have a rotor diameter of more than 400 feet and are mounted on steel towers with a hub height of about 300 feet.
The project includes the construction of an 11-mile high-voltage line to send the power generated to the grid. The electricity will be sold on the ERCOT-South Texas wholesale market.
Photo: La Chalupa will be ACCIONA’s 10th wind farm in the U.S.
