Pattern Energy has selected Quanta Services Inc. and Hitachi Energy to build its SunZia Transmission and Wind project, which will enable access to over 3.5 GW of New Mexico wind power.
Quanta was selected to provide a turnkey solution for the 550-mile 525 kV high-voltage direct current (HVDC) SunZia Transmission line, which will deliver energy from the SunZia Wind project to the southwestern United States.
In addition, Blattner, a Quanta operating company, was selected for the project to provide turnkey solutions for the SunZia Wind facility and associated switchyard, which includes the installation of more than 900 turbines, 10 substations, multiple operations and maintenance facilities, and more than 100 miles of wind generation transmission lines.
Hitachi Energy will be supplying the HVDC converter stations and will utilize its HVDC Light technology and MACH digital control platform for the SunZia Transmission project. This technology enables the efficient transfer and integration of huge volumes of renewable energy over long distances, significantly increasing the amount of clean power available for homes and businesses throughout the region.
SunZia Transmission will open access to the western energy markets to SunZia Wind, the largest wind project in the Western Hemisphere, which will comprise more than 3.5 GW of new wind generation located in Torrance, Lincoln and San Miguel counties in New Mexico. SunZia Transmission will enable SunZia Wind to supply customers in Arizona and California during the crucial early evening hours, when demand is high but the available renewable energy supply is low.
Pattern Energy recently announced that the SunZia Transmission and SunZia Wind projects are expected to generate $20.5 billion dollars in total economic benefit, which includes over $8 billion of direct capital investment, at no added cost to ratepayers, according to the results of an independent study conducted by research firm Energy, Economic & Environment Consultants LLC. Together, the projects will generate an expected $1.3 billion in fiscal impacts that will go to governments, communities, and schools. These benefits are generated through sales and use taxes, property taxes, community benefit payments, and land payments to federal and state agencies.
The projects continue to work with federal agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, as well as local jurisdictions and stakeholders, to finalize remaining approvals to allow construction to begin on schedule this year.
