AWEC is located in the Tehachapi Pass and will eventually raise California’s capacity by 25%. Construction started last year.

The 150MW Alta Wind 1 element of the project uses 100 GE 1.5MW turbines. A 25-year power-purchase agreement is in place with Southern California Edison for the entire project.

Recently, TerraGen signed a record turbine supply deal with Vestas for the project. In July 2010, it secured $1.2 billion in financing for four of the project’s phases, enabling a 570MW order with Vestas.

Project investors include media giant Google.

Terra-Gen is confident that the full project will be built because major transmission upgrades designed to unlock vast new potential wind power from the mountain pass are nearing completion in the region.

The company also has priority positions in the state's transmission interconnection queue system.