SunZia power lines would destroy wetlands, kill birds, opponents say
by Claire Caulifield | KJZZ
The SunZia power project faces a new objection, this time from an environmental group that fears the high-voltage transmission lines from New Mexico to Arizona will inflict irreparable damage to wetlands and bird populations.
The $2 billion project, proposed in 2008, calls for building two 1,500-megawatt lines running 520 miles from central New Mexico to Eleven Mile Corner to carry wind-generated electricity to Western markets, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
Opponents question how much renewable energy the lines would actually transport, whether wind-power producers using the lines can realistically find markets for up to 3,000 megawatts of electricity, and whether the benefits for New Mexicans are worth the costs.
