New Mexico utility regulators on Oct. 3 voted 4 to 0 to issue a permit for Pattern Energy Group Inc.'s 2,200 megawatt wind energy farm. The facility will include up to 950 wind turbines across more than 300,000 acres in the east-central part of the state.

The project also includes about 80 miles of 345 kilovolt transmission lines that the company plans to build. The projects are known collectively as the Corona Wind Projects.

Corona is intended to tie into SunZia Transmission's proposed 520-mile-long transmission project at a proposed substation. However, regulators rejected the New Mexico portion of the line on Sept. 5, saying they did not have enough information to approve the two 500 kV lines.

The rejection was done without prejudice, meaning that SunZia can submit a new application. SunZia would enable the Corona projects to gain access to markets in Arizona, California and Utah. When the Corona projects enter service in 2020, they are expected to employ around 100 people and rank among the largest wind projects in North America.