Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Company proposes repowering county wind farm, aims to boost capacity and shrink turbine footprint
Summary
A Clearway representative told Roosevelt County commissioners the company plans to replace roughly 120 older turbines with about 30 modern 4.5‑megawatt V163 turbines, increasing nameplate capacity from about 120 MW to roughly 130 MW, and asked the county to discuss road‑use agreements, an IRB and Air Force clearances.
A company representative for Clearway outlined a plan to repower a roughly 20‑year‑old wind farm spanning state leases and private parcels, saying the project would replace about 120 existing turbines with approximately 30 newer 4.5‑megawatt V163 machines and raise the site’s nameplate capacity from about 120 megawatts to roughly 130 megawatts.
The presenter said the repower would reduce the number of turbine foundations and the project footprint while increasing generation and extending local operations and maintenance work. “We’ll cut that turbine number down to 30…we’re currently 120 megawatts. We’d like to repower that to 130 megawatts,” the presenter said.
Why it matters: the company said modern turbines deliver more output from a smaller footprint and that repowering would preserve local jobs, continued tax and landowner revenue streams, and use much of the existing substation and transmission infrastructure. The presentation noted the site is about half state‑leased and half private land and that the existing power purchase agreement and county revenue bonds will expire at the end of 2025, making this an opportune time to discuss next steps with the county.
What the county pressed on: commissioners and attendees asked where the new turbines would sit relative to the state leases, how many turbines would be in Roosevelt County versus Chavez County, how foundations would be handled, and where removed blades and steel towers would be recycled. The presenter said pedestals would be removed and footings largely left in place, that blade recycling contractors have been identified, and that steel towers would be reclaimed by scrap buyers. He added the existing collection system is not compatible with new turbine voltages and would be replaced.
Regulatory and schedule items: the company said it is re‑engaging the New Mexico State Land Office for lease matters, conducting cultural surveys and property mapping, and coordinating with the Air Force base for "no hazard" determinations for taller turbines. The firm’s internal target is to complete the repower in 2027, though additional development work and permitting remain.
Next steps: commissioners invited the presenter to return with more detailed materials and to coordinate with county staff, including the county attorney, to discuss potential road‑use agreements, IRB considerations and other conditions.
