Overview
- Pattern Energy and Hitachi Energy announced the SunZia system became fully operational in mid-June, allowing the 916-turbine wind farm to send bulk wind power from New Mexico into Arizona and Southern California.
- The project pairs about 3.5 GW of wind capacity with a roughly 550-mile high-voltage direct-current line that can transfer roughly 3,000 MW to the Palo Verde substation for onward delivery to load centers.
- CAISO registered record high wind output on the California grid after SunZia trials began in April, and operators say the line helps supply night-time wind when solar falls, easing the evening demand peak.
- Developers estimate SunZia could avoid about 9 million metric tons of CO2 in its first full year, but environmental and tribal groups have an active federal lawsuit challenging historic-preservation and habitat impacts.
- The roughly $11 billion project took nearly two decades of permitting, redesigns and ownership changes before completion and has renewed calls from officials for permitting reform to speed future large transmission builds.