The 10MW La Rumorosa I wind farm owned by Mexico’s Baja California state government passed its first environmental test with the earthquake registered on April 4, project manager Arturo Corral told BNamericas.

The wind farm is located in the La Rumorosa area between Tijuana and Mexicali in the Sierra de Juárez region. The quake was centered in Cerro Prieto, Baja California and measured 7.2 on the Richter scale, according to the USGS.

Mexican firm Turbopower Services, which constructed the plant, Spain’s Gamesa, which manufactured the plant’s five turbines, and the state government inspected the plant as operations continued. No failures were detected.

“Fortunately, it was constructed with all the security factors of the seismic zone. For that reason there were no problems,” Corral said.

La Rumorosa I is the first wind plant in the La Rumorosa area and will serve as an example for other projects soon to follow. The quake was thus a test of not only this first plant, but also an indicator of how future plants may withstand the seismic activity of the zone.

“I think that if we pay attention to the zone’s seismic factors, there will be no problems. It is proven. This was a test,” Corral said.

Baja California state’s second phase of wind development plans entails a tender for a 100MW project that will be constructed and operated by a private firm.

The La Rumorosa area has an estimated 3GW of wind potential, and generated power could be exported across the border to the US to help satisfy California’s desire for clean energy.

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