Pattern Energy announced two initial long-term power offtake deals with Shell Energy North America and University of California for its planned $5 billion, 3.5 gigawatt SunZia Wind project in the US state of New Mexico, the largest in the western hemisphere.

Contractual terms for the power purchase agreements (PPAs), which involve deliverable physical energy, were not made public. Pattern, based in San Francisco, expects to begin project construction later this year and start delivering power to western electricity markets in 2026 via its proposed $3 billion, 550-mile (885-kilometre) SunZia transmission line.