A business that will be spun off by General Electric announced plans to build hundreds of turbines for what is expected to be the Western Hemisphere’s largest wind project as part of an equipment order and long-term service agreement with the renewable energy company Pattern Energy.
According to the Associated Press, GE Vernova announced January 9
that it had signed an agreement with Pattern Energy. Officials said that the deal represents the largest onshore wind turbine order the company has ever received in both quantity and the amount of electricity that will be produced when the SunZia Wind Project comes online in 2026.
GE Vernova will utilize its Pensacola, Florida factory to fulfill the large order, while tower manufacturing operations will come from facilities in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado. A total of 15 suppliers are expected to provide the necessary parts to make each turbine.
Construction on the SunZia wind farm and an associated multibillion-dollar transmission line that will funnel power to major markets in the western U.S. is already underway. Developers said that they expect the first wind turbines up by Fall 2024.
“Construction is in full swing on SunZia, using American-made turbine components and creating thousands of good-paying new jobs — a big win for the growing clean energy economy,” said Pattern Energy CEO Hunter Armistead, in a statement.