By Rosalie Rayburn
Journal Staff Writer
Giant power turbines keep popping up, and gigantic blades just keep on turning across New Mexico's windy expanses.
Construction is slated to begin in early May on New Mexico's third and latest major wind ranch.
Padoma Wind Power plans to break ground for the 120-megawatt San Juan Mesa wind ranch on or about May 1 at a site about 65 miles northeast of Roswell, said Padoma CEO Jan Paulin.
Xcel Energy has said it plans to purchase power from the wind ranch and sell it to its 106,000 customers in the eastern part of the state.
New Mexico currently ranks sixth in the country for wind generation with 267 megawatts of wind power. The new wind ranch, plus another 20 megawatts being added at the Caprock Wind Ranch this month, will bring that total to 407 megawatts.
California ranks first with 2,096 megawatts, followed by Texas (1,293 MW), Iowa (632 MW), Minnesota (615 MW) and Wyoming (285 MW), according to the most recent figures available from the American Wind Energy Association.
La Jolla, Calif.-based Padoma has ordered 120 turbines from Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Power Systems. Each turbine will be 227 feet tall, topped by three 88-foot-long blades that can produce electricity in wind speeds ranging from 8 to 55 miles per hour.
Padoma plans to erect the turbines along the San Juan Mesa, outside the village of Elida near the Chaves-Roosevelt county line.
A study of the state's windiest areas by the Energy Minerals and Natural Resources Department showed the average wind speed at the site was 17.7 miles per hour.
Wind turbines typically need wind speeds of between 15 and 20 miles per hour to produce power on a commercial scale, said Chris Wentz, director of the department's energy conservation and management division.
Before the start of construction, Padoma has to clear the area and build roads to the site.
About 200 workers will be needed during construction. Once complete the wind ranch will employee about 20 people permanently, said Padoma CFO Gary Dodak.
Padoma must complete the wind ranch before the end of 2005 in order to take advantage of a 1.5 cent per kilowatt-hour federal tax credit that will expire Dec. 31.
Xcel has a 20-year contract to buy power from the 60-megawatt Caprock Wind Ranch southeast which began producing power in December. Caprock developer, Cielo Wind Power of Austin is adding 20 more 1-megawatt wind turbines this month.
Xcel also buys wind power from a 2-megawatt wind ranch at Texico-Farwell near Clovis.
Public Service Company of New Mexico buys power from a 204-megawatt wind ranch built in 2003 near Fort Sumner.
Gov. Bill Richardson and wind developers want to see even more turbines going up to take advantage of the state's abundant wind resources.
Task forces established by Richardson recommended legislation aimed at encouraging more wind development. SB627 would create a state authority to promote building of more transmission lines to carry wind generated power.
HB121 would increase the state tax credit for electricity produced from wind, solar or biomass from 1 cent per kilowatt-hour to 2 cents per kwh. Legislators are currently considering the two bills.
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