Mortenson Construction Completes Macho Springs Wind Project

Minneapolis, MN —Mortenson Construction and Element Power US, LLC, owner and developer of the Macho Springs Wind Farm located in Deming, NM gathered with community leaders and landowners to celebrate completion of New Mexico’s newest wind energy facility. Output from the  50 megawatt project will be sold to Tucson Electric Power (TEP)  under a long-term power purchase agreement.

“As TEP’s first dedicated source of wind power, the Macho Springs Wind Farm will complement our expanding array of solar energy projects, helping us develop a diverse portfolio of cost-effective renewable resources for our customers,” said David Hutchens, Executive Vice President of TEP and its parent company, Unisource Energy Corporation (NYSE: UNS).

Located in Luna County on approximately 2,000 acres of ranchland, and comprised of 28 Vestas V100-1.8 megawatt wind turbines, the project will generate electricity for approximately 14,000 homes.

During construction, approximately 150 jobs were created, providing a significant economic boost to the county and surrounding communities. The project will also provide seven full-time jobs over a 20-year period.

“The Element Power and Mortenson teams were extremely good to work with from the start of development all the way into operations of the wind project,” said Linda Smrovsky, Executive Director of Deming-Luna County Economic Development.

“They kept the community informed of the project, provided regular tours to interested parties, taught about wind energy development at the local school and were extremely attentive to local needs.  We welcome the opportunity to work with Element Power as it pursues plans to develop an additional solar project in our community.”

“Mortenson was very pleased by the caliber of  the local workforce. Through the job fair held in January, we were able to hire over 50 people from the surrounding communities. We're  also very proud that from groundbreaking to commissioning there were no injuries associated with the project, which exemplifies Mortenson’s commitment to safety," states Tim Maag,  a vice president and general manager of Mortenson’s Renewable Energy Groups.

Vestas, a major turbine manufacturer in North America, stated, “The V100- 1.8 MW wind turbine is specifically designed for wind speeds in this area and will provide clean energy for thousands of homes for many years,” said Martha Wyrsch, President of Vestas-American Wind Technology, Inc. “The Macho Springs wind power plant also will provide direct and indirect economic benefits to the surrounding communities in terms of long-term jobs and property-tax revenues generated from the turbines. We are very pleased to have built this successful energy project with Element Power.”

“The Macho Springs Wind Farm could not have happened without the tremendous support we received from Luna County, our landowners, El Paso Electric, Vestas and Mortenson.” said Ty Daul, CEO of Element Power.  “We are excited to have this project operating and delivering energy to TEP.”