Pattern Energy starts building Texas wind energy project

Pattern Energy Group LP (PEG LP) has closed the financing and started construction of its Panhandle Wind Farm, a 218 MW wind farm located in the Texas Panhandle.

Panhandle Wind will sell power to Citigroup Energy Inc. under a long-term hedge off-take agreement. GE Energy Financial Services and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. will invest structured equity in the project. Financial details were not disclosed.

PEG LP – which developed the project and is serving as the project’s managing member and will provide operations and maintenance – is receiving construction loans from BayernLB, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Nord/LB, Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg, RBC, RBS, and Societe Generale.

Mortenson is overseeing construction of Panhandle Wind, which will use 118 GE 1.85 MW turbines, as well as construction of a 345 kV substation, transmission line and operations facility. Completion is expected in August 2014.

Tim Maag, vice president and general manager of Mortenson Construction’s U.S. Wind Energy Group, notes that the company is happy to work with Pattern on Panhandle Wind, the 11th project the two companies have partnered on.

PEG LP CEO Mike Garland adds that the project will be among the first in the Texas Panhandle to utilize Texas’ new competitive renewable energy zone (CREZ) transmission infrastructure. He also says the project will help boost the region