SunZia’s capacity is more than three times larger than the next two largest wind farms, Alta Wind in Southern California (1,098 MW) and Great Prairie in northern Texas (1,027 MW). The SunZia Wind Project works with a high voltage transmission line to deliver the wind power generated to Arizona and California.
New Mexico boasts some of the most abundant, constant wind energy resource in the United States. Most of the electricity generated at SunZia will be exported to Arizona and to Southern California. To be able to export the power generated by this project, Pattern Energy also built the SunZia Transmission Project—a 550-mile high voltage direct current transmission line that goes from the SunZia Wind Project site in central New Mexico to south-central Arizona.
The SunZia Wind and Transmission projects are expected to generate $20.5 billion dollars in total economic benefit throughout the life of the project, including direct, indirect, and induced economic benefit as well as fiscal impacts.
Together, the projects will generate $1.3 billion in fiscal impacts that will go to governments, communities, schools, and landowners across New Mexico and Arizona. These benefits are generated through sales & use taxes, property taxes, and land payments to federal, state, and private landowners.
Pattern Energy said, "We seek to build partnerships and bring long-term benefits to the communities where we operate. Through our community benefits program, we contribute to local initiatives and community-based organizations."
