The SunZia Wind Project, the largest wind farm in the U.S., began commercial operations this month. The wind farm, located in New Mexico, has a total net summer generating capacity of 3,650 megawatts (MW) and is composed of 916 wind turbines. Its capacity is more than three times larger than each of the next two largest wind farms (see map below), Alta Wind in Southern California (1,098 MW) and Great Prairie in northern Texas (1,027 MW).
Pattern Energy started construction of the SunZia project in 2023 after almost two decades of permitting and planning. Before the project came online, net summer wind generating capacity in New Mexico totaled 3,997 MW. The new capacity from SunZia will bring total wind capacity in New Mexico up to 7,647 MW. With this addition, wind accounts for 45% of the capacity mix in the state, followed by 19% from solar and 19% from natural gas capacity, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Source: EIA
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 (see map below) that goes from the wind farm in central New Mexico to south-central Arizona. Of the SunZia transmission line’s 3,021 MW of power capacity, 2,131 MW will be delivered and consumed in Southern California via the Palo Verde Substation.
SunZia began initial power generation in April. Generation from SunZia is reported by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) in the EIA’s Hourly Electric Grid Monitor. CAISO reported 7,122 MW of hourly wind generation on May 15, which is 20% higher than the previous annual record of 5,922 MW in 2024.
Source: Pattern Energy
