After facing some delays, Iberdrola Renewables has resumed construction on the El Cabo Wind Farm in Torrance County, N.M. Upon completion, the 298-megawatt project will be the largest of its kind in the state. The company has already arranged an offtake agreement for the full output of the 149-turbine wind farm.

 

Transmission-related constraints caused delays in the project, but Iberdrola Renewables successfully addressed those issues, according to a press release from the company. The project is now scheduled to go live in the second half of 2017. The company initially planned to finish the project prior to the expiration of the federal production tax credit at the end of 2015. The government has since extended the tax credit deadline.

 

The wind farm is located on 56,000 acres of private and state trust land managed by the New Mexico State Land Office.

 

“We have enjoyed a wonderful working relationship with local, regional and state officials to get this project to this point and we’re excited about having a viable commercial operating wind farm in sight,” says Iberdrola Renewables CEO Frank Burkhartsmeyer. “With the resumption of full construction, we’ll now be building large wind farms in two states new to our portfolio, New Mexico and North Carolina.”

 

Iberdrola Renewables expects the project to have a significant impact on the local economy. Albuquerque-based companies Sparling Construction is serving as the civil contractor on the project while Albuquerque-based Bohannan-Huston is the civil engineer. The wind farm will also contribute $1.5 million dollars in lease payments per year over the course of the 25-year life of the project.