Construction starts on wind farm at Ely

Pattern Energy Group LP of San Francisco nailed down construction financing and started work on a 150-megawatt wind energy farm near Ely.

The financing for the project is a secured construction loan that converts into an 18-year term loan. The lenders are Siemens Financial Services, Inc., Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, and Union Bank, N.A.

The Spring Valley Wind project is 30 miles east of Ely. Pattern Energy will sell the power to NV Energy through an existing 230 kilovolt line.

Mortenson Construction is manager of the construction, which is expected to employ 225 people. Thirteen permanent jobs will be created when the plant begins operation in about a year.

The facility is the first major wind-generation operation to begin construction in Nevada.