242 Vestas Turbines Installed at 3.5 GW SunZia Wind Farm in New Mexico
Vestas has completed the installation of wind turbines at Pattern Energy’s SunZia Wind project, the largest clean energy project currently under development in the United States.
The company installed 242 V163-4.5 MW turbines at the 3.5 GW SunZia Wind farm, located across Torrance, Lincoln, and San Miguel counties in New Mexico. The project also includes 674 GE Vernova 3.6-154 turbines and 10 substations.
SunZia is composed of two major components: SunZia Wind and the SunZia Transmission line. The transmission project involves a 550-mile (885 km) high-voltage direct current (HVDC) line connecting central New Mexico with south-central Arizona.
Once operational, the transmission system will be capable of delivering up to 3,000 MW of renewable energy, enough to supply electricity for roughly 320,000 households, or nearly 800,000 people, across the U.S. Southwest.
The transmission infrastructure will also enable the wind farm to deliver power during early evening demand peaks, when electricity consumption is typically high but solar generation is declining.
The project is being developed by Pattern Energy with a total estimated investment of $8 billion. The next phase of development will involve commissioning the turbines and connecting them to the SunZia Transmission system.
The project is expected to reach commercial operation in 2026, marking a major milestone for large-scale renewable energy infrastructure in the region.
