Gov. Katie Hobbs to celebrate wind farm kickoff in northeastern Arizona

PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs and other state officials will gather in Winslow on Tuesday to celebrate a multimillion investment that will support the Chevelon Butte wind farm in northeastern Arizona.

The AES Corporation is behind the event. The energy giant is making a $680 million capital investment into the wind farm, which will create an estimated $267 million economic impact for the state, the company said.

With 105 wind turbines at full buildout, the facility is expected to generate enough electricity to power 110,000 homes per year.

AES started phase one of its project to generate affordable renewable energy in early June. The project is located on the Chevelon Butte Ranch in Coconino and Navajo counties. That’s around 20 miles south of Winslow.

The Chevelon Butte project is expected to produce a total of 454 megawatts of wind energy once both phases are fully operational next year, according to a June announcement.

Although phase one is still underway, company officials say it will bring 238 megawatts of clean energy online upon completion.

AES officials expect the project to become fully operational by 2024, after the second phase adds another 216 megawatts.

“Over 800 people will be impacted by direct and indirect jobs associated with building the project, resulting in a vital source of jobs in Coconino and Navajo counties, which jointly host the wind farm,” Hobbs’ office said in a press release.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said AES Corporation’s investment into the Chevelon Butte wind farm was $267 million. The correct figure is $680 million.

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