San Roman Wind Farm Begins Commercial Operation

By Anca Gagiuc

San Roman Wind Farm

San Antonio—The San Roman Wind Farm, a 93-megawatt renewable energy project located near Brownsville, Texas, has begun commercial operation. The facility is owned and operated by Spanish ACCIONA Energy.

“ACCIONA is proud to complete this latest addition to our U.S. renewable energy portfolio and become a part of the community here in Cameron County,” Ilya Hartmann, CEO of ACCIONA Energy North America, said in prepared remarks. “ACCIONA’s expertise as a global leader in renewable energy, along with the great work of our local partners and contractors, helped make this project a success.”

San Roman is equipped with 31 AQ125/3000 turbines manufactured by Nordex/ACCIONA Windpower, each with a diameter of 410 feet, mounted on a 287-foot steel tower. It will produce sufficient electricity to power more than 30,000 Texas homes. Furthermore, over its 25-year lifespan, the wind farm is expected to generate $30 million in tax revenue for local school districts and other public services, as well as more than $25 million in lease payments to local landowners.

ACCIONA also served as general contractor for San Roman’s construction, completing it in roughly 11 months, while generating more than 100,000 hours of work for local contractors and maintaining a near-perfect safety record. To further demonstrate its commitment to sustainability during the development and construction of the project, ACCIONA conducted extensive wildlife studies prior to construction and provided safety and environmental training for all staff on the project.

San Roman Wind Farm, ACCIONA’s eighth wind farm in the U.S., will have its long-term operations and maintenance managed by a team of local employees. According to a company statement, ACCIONA will invest approximately 2,300 million euros  in renewable energy facilities worldwide up to 2020, with an approximate capacity of 1,900 megawatts.

Image courtesy of ACCIONA