Department of Interior Breaks Ground on Multi-Billion Dollar Southwest Green Energy Project

Giant wind turbines near the Interstate 10 freeway are powered by strong prevailing winds in Palm Springs, Calif., on May 13, 2008. David McNew/Getty Images

Private sector and government officials gathered in Corona, New Mexico, on Sept. 1 for the groundbreaking of an alternative energy project that is expected to generate an estimated $20.5 billion in total economic benefits.

Several Biden administration officials, including Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and presidential adviser John Podesta, attended the groundbreaking of the SunZia Transmission Project, along with Pattern Energy CEO Hunter Armistead.

The $10 billion venture led by Pattern Energy will take place over the next three years and create more than 500 miles of lines to deliver power over federal, state, and private lands between central New Mexico and central Arizona.

“The SunZia Transmission Project will accelerate our nation’s transition to a clean energy economy by unlocking renewable resources, creating jobs, lowering costs, and boosting local economies,” Ms. Haaland said. “Through historic investments from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Interior Department is helping build modern, resilient climate infrastructure that protects our communities from the worsening impacts of climate change.”

Mr. Podesta said of the groundbreaking, “The SunZia Transmission Project is a game-changer for America’s clean energy economy and for our fight to save the planet.

“To tackle the climate crisis and bring clean, affordable, reliable power to American families, we need to build high-performance transmission projects like this one all across the country.”

The Department of the Interior (DOI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced in May that they made the decision to support the transport of up to 4,500 megawatts of primarily renewable energy from New Mexico to markets in Arizona and California.

In remarks delivered on Aug. 9 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, President Joe Biden cited Pattern Energy’s SunZia Transmission and Wind as examples of the type of projects the administration believes will advance its energy and climate objectives.

“My administration recently completed a review of the proposed SunZia line to transport energy from a planned wind farm in New Mexico to California… These projects are expected to create 2000 new construction jobs and up to 150 permanent jobs, providing clean energy to up to 3 million Americans,” President Biden said.

The SunZia Transmission Project consists of two planned 500-kilovolt transmission lines that will span approximately 520 miles between the central regions of New Mexico and Arizona, according to the DOI. The permitted route begins at a future substation in Torrance County, New Mexico, and ends at the current Pinal Central Substation in Pinal County, Arizona.

BLM New Mexico State Director Melanie Barnes said they were “pleased to announce this exciting milestone” for the project, according to the department’s press release.

“This effort represents an important step in the development of our country’s renewable energy and transmission infrastructure.”

Pattern Energy, who are developing the SunZia project, announced that an independent analysis of the project found that it would likely generate roughly $20.5 billion in economic benefits.

According to Pattern Energy, the combination of SunZia Wind and Transmission will establish the largest clean energy infrastructure initiative in the history of the United States.

SunZia Wind represents a greater than $5 billion investment. The endeavor will utilize local businesses, services, and materials, while also generating new employment.

Republicans have continually voiced concern about the Biden administration’s energy and climate goals, with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), in a speech on Capitol Hill last year, calling Democrats’ “green fantasies” part of what is driving up energy prices.

Ms. Ernst also asserted that the federal government’s focus on the climate, instead of supporting existing infrastructure for fossil fuels, could cause major outages.

The Iowa Republican said during her speech on energy that “'Biden blackouts’ will make it impossible to run even fans and air conditioners on the hottest days of the summer.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.