Western Spirit transmission lines tower above the interstate and farmlands in Bosque, NM on January 14, 2023.
Photographer: Adria Malcolm/BloombergClimate Politics
The Bitter 17-Year Saga to Build a Power Line Critical to US Climate Action
The planned SunZia 500-mile transmission line would carry wind power across the Southwest. The fights over approval are just getting started.
In 2006, Barbara Sultemeier began getting calls from companies across the US, Europe and even Australia, all seeking the rights to build on her small ranch about two hours southeast of Albuquerque, N.M.
It wasn’t the land that mattered to the firms. They wanted the wind.