Photo: Pattern Energy

The SunZia project consists of a 3.5 gigawatt wind farm in New Mexico and a transmission line to transport that power to an existing substation in Pinal County, Arizona.

The SunZia Transmission Line will enable the delivery of power from SunZia Wind directly into the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) energy market.

Combined, the two projects represent the largest renewable energy infrastructure project in United States history.

In early 2024, the project developer Pattern Energy announced it had secured an $11 billion financing package and had begun full construction on the project. The project is expected to begin sending power to the grid in 2026.

Our hope is this successful financing of the largest clean energy infrastructure project in American history serves as an example for other ambitious renewable infrastructure initiatives that are needed to accelerate our transition to a carbon free future – Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy:

While Pattern Energy was taken private following a $6.1 billion takeover by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), there are several listed companies involved in the project.

Photo: Pattern Energy

Quanta Services, the same company that was slated to build the Keystone XL pipeline, will build a 550-mile HVDC transmission line between the 3.5GW SunZia Wind project in New Mexico and Arizona. The line will transmit up to 3GW of wind power and is expected to start delivering power in 2026.

Blattner Company will build the wind farm facility and associated switchyard, which includes the installation of more than 900 turbines, ten substations, seven operations and maintenance facilities and a switchyard. Blattner had previously built the Western Spirit Wind project in New Mexico for Pattern Energy in 2021.

Quanta acquired Blattner in a $2.7 billion deal in 2021. PWR has massively outperformed its listed construction & engineering peers over the past 5 years.

Hitachi Energy will supply the HVDC line and related equipment, including two HVDC Voltage Sourced Converter Stations and two AC Choppers.

Vestas has secured a 1.1 GW order for 242 of its V163-4.5 MW turbines, marking the company’s largest onshore wind project globally. Vestas will be responsible for supplying, delivering, and commissioning the turbines. Additionally, the company has entered into a multi-year service agreement with Pattern Energy.

GE Vernova will contribute wind turbines to the SunZia Wind project.

The Onshore Wind business of GE Vernova has entered into a new equipment and long-term services agreement with Pattern Energy. Under this deal, they will supply 674 3.6-154 wind turbines, generating over 2.4 gigawatts (GW) of power.

We are pleased to support Pattern Energy on this monumental project that reinforces the key role wind power has in delivering renewable energy to meet the growing demand for power in the Western U.S. and in accelerating the energy transition. The project is a great example of how the policy certainty created by the IRA is helping to drive significant investments in the U.S. wind power market. – Scott Strazik, CEO, GE Vernova

GE Vernova’s Financial Services business acted as a Joint Lead Arranger on a $2.25 billion tax equity term loan facility provided by Banco Santander, part of the project’s recent $11 billion financing package.

Shell Energy North America, along with the University of California, has signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for a portion of the power from the SunZia Wind Project.