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Ely-based Spring Valley Wind facility was awarded Wind Project of the Year by POWER-GEN International, a global engineering conference. The facility has 66 Siemens 2.3 MW wind turbines, which can produce 151.8 MW and power around 45,000 homes. According to a statement, “Spring Valley Wind created approximately 240 jobs during construction and 13 full-time permanent positions for ongoing operations and maintenance. More than 40 businesses throughout Nevada were involved during construction and nearly $10 million has been spent with those businesses on construction goods and services. Spring Valley Wind is expected to generate more than $20 million in tax revenue for White Pine County and the state of Nevada’s Renewable Energy Fund over the next 20 years.”

The project is Nevada’s first commercial wind farm (“Energy in motion,” Aug. 16, 20120). While the total acreage of the farm is 7,500 acres, the turbine footprint is just 77 acres, leaving the rest open for wildlife.

Pattern Energy Group owns and maintains the facility, and also operates three other wind farms throughout the U.S.