The SunZia Wind Project in New Mexico, the largest wind farm in the USA, is scheduled to begin commercial operations this month. The project has a total net summer generating capacity of 3,650 MW and consists of 916 wind turbines. SunZia is connected to a high-voltage transmission line that will deliver electricity to Arizona and California.
Pattern Energy began construction of the project in 2023 following and the wind farm spans three counties in New Mexico. The northern section, located in San Miguel and Lincoln counties, includes 242 turbines, while the southern section in Lincoln and Torrance counties comprises 674 turbines. By April 2026, a number of turbines had already begun generating electricity and supplying power to the grid during the testing phase.
The addition of the project increases the state's total wind capacity to 7,647 MW. Wind now represents 45% of New Mexico’s generating capacity mix.
Most of the electricity generated by SunZia will be exported to Arizona and Southern California. To support these deliveries, Pattern Energy also developed the SunZia Transmission Project, a 550-mile high-voltage direct current transmission line linking the wind farm in central New Mexico with south-central Arizona. Of the transmission line’s 3,021 MW capacity, 2,131 MW will be delivered to Southern California through the Palo Verde Substation.
