en.Wedoany.com Reported - In 2025, wind and utility-scale solar power combined accounted for 17% of total U.S. net electricity generation, totaling 760,000 GWh. The largest renewable energy project in the United States, SunZia, is now fully operational and will significantly boost this share. This wind energy project by Pattern Energy Group is located in wind-rich New Mexico and comprises 916 turbines with a total summer generation capacity of 3,650 megawatts. SunZia's capacity is comparable to that of the second and third largest wind farms in the U.S.—Alta Wind (1,098 MW) in California and Great Plains (1,027 MW) in Texas.

The electricity generated by SunZia will be transmitted via a 550-mile high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line to Arizona and the Western U.S. grid, supplying power to approximately 3 million people. This line, one of the largest transmission lines in the United States, was developed by Hitachi Energy. It uses converter stations at each end to convert power into a form suitable for long-distance transmission and then back to alternating current for grid delivery, enabling 3,000 MW of electricity to be transmitted hundreds of miles with minimal energy loss. The transmission line is a ±525 kV bipolar HVDC link, making it the largest in the U.S. and one of the largest voltage source converter (VSC)-based HVDC installations globally. VSC systems use advanced power electronics to control voltage and power flow, helping to balance the "duck curve" phenomenon, where renewable generation declines in the evening while demand remains high. This large-scale transmission system supports the growing energy needs of the Western U.S. while enhancing grid resilience and reliability, and SunZia's scale increases the reliability of renewable energy supply in high-demand regions.

With the full operation of the SunZia project, New Mexico's wind power capacity has nearly doubled from 3,997 MW to 7,647 MW. Wind now accounts for 45% of the state's generation capacity, with solar and natural gas each at 19%. Pattern Energy stated that during project planning and development, it worked with local stakeholders to minimize impacts on land and surrounding communities. Key initiatives included incorporating local community feedback, minimizing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lighting on transmission towers to support dark sky protection, and supporting conservation organizations in the Middle Rio Grande Basin. Pattern also collaborated with conservation groups and wildlife experts to protect 1,000 acres of land along the Rio Grande for conservation, restored thousands of acres of wildlife habitat in Arizona, tested ultraviolet lighting on transmission lines to make them more visible to birds, and funded research on sandhill crane flight behavior and declining upland bird populations to guide future transmission line design and habitat conservation. Pattern Energy stated that the project will invest over $20 billion in surrounding communities in New Mexico and Arizona upon operation, including approximately $1.3 billion in payments to local governments, schools, counties, and private landowners, and has signed long-term power purchase agreements with multiple utilities and public agencies.