The State Land Office has approved a proposal for a large wind energy project in central New Mexico that officials say could generate as much as $40 million for the state over 45 years.
Land Commissioner Ray Powell announced Thursday that Iberdrola Renewables of Portland, Ore., has won the right to lease nearly 34,000 acres of state trust land in Torrance County to develop a wind farm that ultimately could generate about 1,000 megawatts of electricity. That's enough to supply up to 400,000 homes.
The first phase of the project is expected to produce nearly 300 megawatts of electricity. State officials say construction could start later this year.
The proposed "El Cabo" wind farm would cover private and state-owned land.
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