Heinrich Highlights Economic Benefits Of Clean Energy At New Wind Farm in Torrance County
PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich at the Estancia Valley Economic Development Association in Moriarty celebrates the construction of the new El Cabo Wind Farm, October 17, 2016.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, highlighted how the extension of the clean energy production and investment tax credits have been critical to supporting new wind projects in New Mexico. Last year, Senator Heinrich led a bipartisan group of lawmakers to pass an energy agreement that lifted the ban on oil exports and included a five-year retroactive extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) through 2019, which supports wind energy, and a five-year extension of the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC).
"Extending federal clean energy tax incentives provide substantial certainty in an industry that has been plagued by one year at a time tax policy. These pro-growth tax policies encourage construction of more utility-scale wind farms like El Cabo Wind Farm in Torrance County and the Broadview Wind Projects in Curry County, while creating much-needed jobs," said Sen. Heinrich.
At an event at the Estancia Valley Economic Development Association in Moriarty yesterday, Senator Heinrich celebrated the construction of the new El Cabo Wind Farm, a 298-megawatt project anticipated to be one of the largest wind projects in New Mexico. Avangrid Renewables has resumed construction of the 56,000 acre project, which is located on private and state trust land, and will feature 142 wind turbines.
"I'm thrilled to welcome Avangrid Renewables to New Mexico and celebrate the new construction of El Cabo Wind Farm in Torrance County," said Sen. Heinrich. "Wind technician is the fastest growing job in the nation today. In 2015, wind energy supported 2,000 jobs in New Mexico. And we are just getting started. With our incredible potential for both solar and wind and innovative research and development at our national laboratories and universities, the state is poised to become a major producer and exporter of clean power. I'm confident that we can meet our climate goals and create thousands of good paying jobs in the process."
