The agreement is part of APS's commitment to provide 100% clean, carbon-free electricity to its customers by 2050

Arizona wind

Leeward’s advanced GE wind turbine technology enables APS to provide renewable energy to customers. (Credit: Business Wire)

Arizona Public Service Company (APS) has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Leeward Renewable Energy for two wind farms in New Mexico, US.

Under the PPA, APS will purchase a total of 200MW capacity from Leeward’s two Aragonne Wind facilities for a period of 20 years.

The agreement is part of APS’s commitment to provide 100% clean, carbon-free electricity to its customers by 2050.

The PPA is a result of a September 2019 wind request for proposal (RFP) launched by APS for 400MW of new solar and wind capacity in Arizona.

APS resource management vice president of  Brad Albert said: “Renewable energy resources like this wind power are important to a diverse and increasingly clean energy mix for Arizona.

“By working with supplier partners like Leeward, APS is advancing toward our target of having 45% of our generation portfolio in renewable energy by 2030 on the path to 100% clean energy by 2050.

“We are moving toward that future while continuing our focus on serving customers with reliable, affordable energy.”

Details of Leeward’s two Aragonne Wind facilities

Leeward will supply the clean energy to APS  through the repowering of its existing 90MW Aragonne Wind project and the construction of its 145MW Aragonne Mesa Wind project.

The projects are located in Guadalupe County, New Mexico.

APS started procuring electricity generated at the Aragonne Wind farm in 2006 when the project had begun operating commercially.

Leeward chief development officer Andrew Flanagan said: “Leeward is pleased to partner with APS on an innovative project that will repower one of our legacy wind assets and also enable the construction of a new wind facility, bringing economic benefits to the local community.

“We look forward to working alongside the APS team as we continue to actively develop new wind, solar and energy storage projects across the U.S.”