Clearway Energy starts construction of US wind farm

Clearway has also closed US$427 million in construction debt financing, for which Mizuho Bank, Ltd. acted as the co-ordinating lead arranger and with Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), MUFG Bank, Ltd., Santander Bank N.A., and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) each acting as mandated lead arrangers.

Once operational, Mesquite Sky will sell power under long-term virtual power purchase agreements to support the sustainability commitments of corporate customers Deere & Company and Whirlpool Corporation.

The project will have a total of 69 turbines supplied by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. Mesquite Sky construction is being led by EPC partner Blattner Energy, representing the fourth project Blattner has constructed for Clearway in the last four years. Clearway also partnered in development and pre-construction services for the project with NorthRenew Energy, which had been the original developer for the project.

The project will support up to 450 construction jobs and several permanent jobs and will drive significant local economic development, including more than US$300 000 in local spending during construction and US$173 million in landowner payments and property tax revenue over the life of the project.

Mesquite Sky is expected to reach commercial operations in late 2021. In December 2020, Clearway announced a joint equity transaction for a 1.6 GW portfolio that includes Mesquite Sky.

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