Andy Corbley at
Good News Network notes that:
“The largest renewable energy infrastructure project in
US history is fully operational.”
The project was
developed by Pattern Energy. It is comprised of 916 wind turbines across three
counties in central New Mexico. At 3.65GW, it is by far the largest wind
project in the U.S.
According to the Energy
Institute:
“The project also includes a ±525kV voltage source
converter (VSC)-based high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link supplied by
Hitachi Energy. Electricity is converted to direct current for efficient
transmission over long distances, before being converted back to alternating
current for grid integration.”
“Power is transmitted into Arizona and then routed into
Southern California via the Palo Verde hub, with around 2.13GW expected to
reach the California grid.”
That number perplexes me
since the average efficiency of wind power in the U.S. is 37-38%. Thus, if this
project is 38% efficient, then at maximum output it would deliver 1.387 GW, not
2.13 GW. Is this a capacity factor flub by Energy Institute? I initially
thought that Corbley, at Good News Network, may be making a similar error in
saying that the wind project’s output will exceed that of Hoover Dam, which has
a nameplate capacity of 2,080GW. However, due to low seasonal water levels at
Lake Mead, the Dam’s capacity factor is just 18%, putting its output around
375 MW. Thus, the wind project will indeed produce much more power than the
Hoover Dam.
“The development significantly expands New Mexico’s wind
capacity, increasing it from 4GW to 7.65GW and raising wind’s share to around
45% of the state’s energy mix.”
While that may seem like a
lot, the population of New Mexico is only around 2 million. Compare that to a
state such as Ohio, where the population is 5.5 times higher.
Hunter Armistead, CEO of
Pattern Energy, noted:
“We did this the right way, we did it on time and on
budget—in genuine partnership with the local communities and landowners who
trusted us, with the environmental stewardship this unique landscape deserves,
and with the determination to see something through that many thought was too
big and too complex to finish.”
Corbley notes:
“Complexities included many, from an agreement to
relocate existing mature saguaro cacti and large agave plants to building the
tall HVDC towers is remote, environmentally sensitive areas supplied almost
entirely by helicopter.”
“Pattern Energy claims the facility will invest over $20
billion in New Mexico and Arizona communities including $1.3 billion in direct
payments to local governments, schools, counties and private landowners over
the first 30 years of operations.”
According to Elliot Mainzer,
President and CEO of the California Independent System Operator (ISO):
“Projects of this scale help deliver energy reliably to
areas of rising demand, improve the movement of power across states and support
a more resilient, flexible, and affordable electric system. SunZia represents
the kind of long-term infrastructure investment needed to serve customers today
and prepare the grid for the future.”
The HVDC line is a big deal,
also. It utilizes Hitachi’s HVDC Light® technology. It is one of the first HVDC
systems built in the U.S. in many years. HVDC lines first convert AC wind power
to DC for transport with lower losses, then convert it back to AC for local
delivery to points of use.
According to Pattern Energy:
“With major converter stations at each end of the line
converting power for delivery and then back for use on the grid, SunZia is
deploying one of the first major HVDC systems built in the United States in a
generation — advanced infrastructure that can help define how America delivers
power at scale.”
References:
A
3.65GW wind project in New Mexico has entered full operation, supported by an
885km high-voltage transmission line delivering renewable electricity to demand
centres in Arizona and Southern California. Energy Institute. New Energy World.
June 30, 2026. Record
3.65GW wind project goes live in US with long-distance transmission link |
Article Page
USA’s
Largest Renewable Project Comes Online–With More Power Than the Hoover Dam. Andy
Corbley. Good News Network. June 25, 2026. USA’s
Largest Renewable Project Comes Online–With More Power Than the Hoover Dam
SunZia
comes online, transforming power delivery in the United States. Pattern Energy.
June 18, 2026. SunZia
comes online, transforming power delivery in the United States - Pattern Energy
HVDC
Light® Technology. Hitachi. HVDC
Light® (VSC) | Hitachi Energy
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