Work continues on new phase of wind project

The third phase of what will be the largest wind energy facility in New Mexico has been under construction since fall with plans to open in late spring or early summer.

The project of 81 wind turbines in Grady, about 20 miles north of Clovis, finishes off the Broadview Wind facility, where two prior phases with 141 turbines went operational in 2017.

“New Mexico has excellent resources for wind and solar power,” said Adam Renz, external affairs manager at Houston-based Pattern Development, an international wind power generation company.

The Broadview facility, when completed, will generate 544.8 megawatts — enough electricity to power about 225,000 homes, Renz said.

Pattern Development sells the power generated from the first two Broadview phases to Southern California Edison in Los Angeles, and the power from the Grady phase will be sold to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District in California, Renz said.

Broadview will not remain New Mexico’s largest wind producer for long. Pattern Development intends to start construction late this year or early 2020 on a 2,000-megawatt facility near Corona with turbine towers in Lincoln, Torrance and Guadalupe counties, Renz said.

Pattern Development has 27 wind generation facilities in the United States, Canada and Japan, with intentions to expand into Mexico.