“Wind facility costs have dropped significantly. Combined with federal tax credits (which are set to expire), wind energy has become increasingly attractive to utilites.

Xcel Energy has announced plans to build the largest wind farm in New Mexico. The 522-megawatt, $865 million Sagamore Wind Project will be in Roosevelt County, approximately 20 miles south of Portales. It will generate enough power to supply about 194,000 homes per year. The project will provide about 300 construction jobs and 20- to 30- fulltime positions when completed by 2020.

A subsidiary of Xcel, Southwest Public Service Co. has operated the 250 megawatt Roosevelt Wind Project since December 2015. Xcel will also build a 478- megawatt wind farm near Lubbock, Texas, and plans to purchase 230 megawatts of wind energy under long-term agreement with NextEra Energy.The projects will allow Xcel to produce energy at a lower cost than that produced by the company’s coal and natural gas-fueled plants, there by saving its 385,000 New Mexico and Texas customers about $2.8 billion over the next 30 years.”