Getting to Know Western Spirit Wind

Nestled in Central New Mexico, Pattern's Western Spirit Wind is comprised of four wind energy project sites including Red Cloud, Duran Mesa, Clines Corners, and Tecolote wind farms. While SunZia Wind and Transmission will be the largest wind farm and renewable energy infrastructure project in the country upon its completion in 2026, for now, Western Spirit Wind represents the most wind power ever constructed as a single-phase project in the United States, with 1,050-megawatts (MW) of installed capacity.

From an energy standpoint, that means Western Spirit Wind produces enough electricity every year to meet the needs of almost 1 million Americans. Western Spirit Wind generates clean energy which avoids nearly 4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

Western Spirit Wind pays nearly $3 million per year in property tax revenues across Guadalupe, Lincoln, and Torrance Counties and the school districts within those counties. But that's not the only way that Western Spirit Wind gives back to the local communities.

The tax revenues and the sheer power that Western Spirit Wind generates is certainly impressive, but it's the New Mexicans that work there who make Western Spirit Wind great and a pillar of the community.

Western Spirit Wind employs nearly 30 full-time operations and maintenance technicians at the wind facilities. Among them is Renee Rose, Senior Site Logistics Coordinator, who lives in Corona, New Mexico, where she's raising her family. In her role for Pattern, Renee is responsible for coordinating Western Spirit Wind's community engagement efforts, like sponsoring local rodeos and county fairs, organizing scholarships for students, and contributing to the school districts in a variety of ways each school year.

Western Spirit Wind supports New Mexico communities by:

• Sponsoring the Lincoln, Torrance and Guadalupe County Fairs, sponsoring the belt buckles, and contributing to the buyer's dinners, as well as purchasing animals

• Supporting the Corona Kids Rodeo, Corona Roping Club, Corona Days, and Lincoln County Rodeo Club

• Donating school supplies to Carrizozo, Corona, Estanica, Mountainair, Santa Rosa, and Vaughn schools

• Making a Christmas drive donation to Carrizozo, Corona, Estancia, Mountainair, Santa Rosa, and Vaughn schools

• Providing teacher appreciation lunches in Carrizozo, Corona, Estancia Mountainair, Santa Rosa, and Vaughn schools

• Donating to support youth sports and athletics including Little Dribblers, Carrizozo school athletic uniforms, Santa Rosa Little League, Corona Youth Volleyball, Corona Disc Golf and New Mexico Coyotes

• Volunteering at the Corona rodeo arena to help the kids of the Chaparral 4-H group replace the wood on the bleachers

• Investing in STEM education such as the American Association of University Women - NM Tech Trek 7thgrade girls summer STEM camp, Estancia Schools Robotics team and Ruidoso Quiz Bowl team

• Supporting the Nourishing Nations Food Bank

Western Spirit Wind, alongside other Pattern projects in New Mexico, supported rebuilding efforts in the Village of Ruidoso after the terrible wildfires and floods that affected that community. You can read more about the impact of our $25,000 donation to The Shelter Fund at the Lincoln County Community Foundation, HERE.

Pattern is proud of Western Spirit Wind's legacy of giving back to Lincoln, Torrance, and Guadalupe Counties. We know that when community efforts are driven by the people who live, work, and have roots in that community, they mean so much more and have greater impact. That's why Pattern empowers our Western Spirit Wind employees to use their local giving budget in service of the New Mexicans in their communities.

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