CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) - A new wind power generating farm is coming to southeastern New Mexico, bringing turbines and transmission lines.

San Diego-based EDF Renewables recently announced that construction on the Oso Grande Wind Project will start this year and the farm will fully operate by the end of 2020, the Carlsbad Current-Argus reports .

The project by EDF Renewables and Tucson Electric Power between will consist of 61 turbines in Chaves, Eddy and Lea counties.

Energy generated will be delivered to Tucson, Arizona, and the system will have a capacity of about 247 megawatts, EDF Renewables said.

Tucson Electric Power president David Hutchens said the project will be his company’s largest renewable energy asset and advance its goal of increasing the use of renewable resources.

It will speed up the company’s “progress toward our clean energy goals while allowing us to help customers achieve their own sustainability objectives,” Hutchens said.

The project will eventually provide about 28 percent of the company’s energy sales, and the company plans to use renewable energy to produce 30 percent of its electricity by 2030, Tucson Electric Power said.

Production from the new wind energy operation is expected to meet the consumption needs of 100,000 homes, the equivalent of avoiding 680,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually or greenhouse gas emissions from about 146,000 cars, officials said.

The Chaves County Commission approved a special use permit for EDF in March for 32 wind turbines in the southeastern part of the county.

Eddy County spokeswoman Jeri Strong said county officials had not met with EDF but hoped to provide future input and regulation on the project.

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC.