NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A big financial boost could be coming to New Mexico, thanks to the SunZia project, one of the largest clean energy projects in the U.S. That boost could mean billions of dollars from the project coming as early as this year.
The project will run a 550-mile-long power transmission line from Torrance county to Arizona, along with another wind farm in central new Mexico. The state won’t receive the power generated from the project, but instead will receive money from the operational costs and employment opportunities.
“So over $20 billion in total economic benefit to drive what’s really going to be a remarkable clean energy project across the desert southwest,” said Kevin Wetzel, Assistant VP of Business Development for Pattern Energy.
Pattern energy says that the state could start seeing the economic impact as soon this fall when construction begins, with New Mexican’s getting jobs from the project. “We anticipate over a billion dollars to be directly invested in New Mexico via payments to government authorities like taxes and community benefits and partnerships with the State Land Office.”
Pattern energy currently has three other wind farms in the state. Power from those farms are also being added to the SunZia project. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2026.
