# Ocotillo Express LLC

CAISO Onshore Wind Turbine · https://askthegrid.com/assets/facilities/ocotillo-express-llc

Ocotillo Express LLC is a wind power facility with 265.4 MW of EIA-reported operating capacity in Imperial County, California, registered as EIA Plant ID 57514. Pattern Operators LP is the registered plant entity or operator. Ocotillo Wind was the first renewable-energy project to transmit power over the Sunrise Powerlink transmission line connecting the Imperial Valley and San Diego. in July 2009. The plant began commercial operation in 2013.

## Key facts

- Technology: Onshore Wind Turbine
- Power capacity: 265.4 MW
- Operating status: operating

## Grid and market context

- ISO/RTO: CAISO
- Balancing authority: CISO (CAISO)
- Substation: New 500 kV substation connecting the facility to Sunrise Powerlink
- Point of interconnection: New 500 kV substation connecting the facility to Sunrise Powerlink
- Transmission owner: San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E)
- Interconnection voltage: 500 kV

## Source-backed facts

- Owner logo domain: patternenergy.com — Pattern Energy · confidence: medium
- Identifiers: [{"value":"57514","system":"EIA plant code"},{"value":"56545","system":"EIA utility ID"},{"value":"WTG","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"GEN 1","system":"California Energy Commission generator ID"},{"value":"CISO","system":"ISO/RTO balancing authority"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO market region"},{"value":"1460942","system":"FERC MBR entity ID"},{"value":"18157","system":"FERC MBR generation asset ID"},{"value":"C003235","system":"FERC MBR registrant identifier"},{"value":"E-4458","system":"California Public Utilities Commission resolution"}] — MBR | Lookup Data · confidence: medium
- Identifiers: [{"value":"57514","system":"EIA plant code"},{"value":"56545","system":"EIA utility ID"},{"value":"WTG","system":"EIA generator ID"},{"value":"GEN 1","system":"California Energy Commission generator ID"},{"value":"CISO","system":"ISO/RTO balancing authority"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO market region"},{"value":"1460942","system":"FERC MBR entity ID"},{"value":"18157","system":"FERC MBR generation asset ID"},{"value":"C003235","system":"FERC MBR registrant identifier"},{"value":"E-4458","system":"California Public Utilities Commission resolution"}] — GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS · confidence: medium
- Official project url: https://patternenergy.com/projects/ocotillo-wind/ — Ocotillo Wind - Pattern Energy · confidence: high
- Description: Ocotillo Express LLC, publicly presented as Ocotillo Wind, is a 265.4 MW onshore wind facility in Imperial County, California, with one EIA generating unit. The facility uses 112 Siemens/Siemens Gamesa SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines and connects to the San Diego Gas & Electric Sunrise Powerlink transmission line. It was constructed in 2012 and 2013 and became fully operational in fall 2013. Its output is sold to San Diego Gas & Electric under a 20-year power purchase agreement. — Ocotillo Wind - Pattern Energy · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.3: {"value":"GEN 1","system":"California Energy Commission generator ID"} — GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.5: {"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO market region"} — MBR | Lookup Data · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.6: {"value":"1460942","system":"FERC MBR entity ID"} — MBR | Lookup Data · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.8: {"value":"C003235","system":"FERC MBR registrant identifier"} — GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS · confidence: medium
- Parties.1: {"relationship":"Parent owner / developer","name":"Pattern Energy Group, LP","official_url":"https://patternenergy.com/"} — E-4458 Final Redacted Resolution (This approves cost recovery for the long-term renewable energy power purchase agreement, as amended, between SDG&E and Ocotillo Express LLC) · confidence: medium
- Parties.4: {"relationship":"EPC / civil works contractor","name":"Blattner Energy","official_url":"https://www.blattnercompany.com/"} — Ocotillo Wind Project, California - Power Technology · confidence: medium
- Parties.5: {"relationship":"Wind turbine OEM","name":"Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy","official_url":"https://www.siemensgamesa.com/global/en/home.html"} — Ocotillo Wind - Pattern Energy · confidence: medium
- Parties.5: {"relationship":"Wind turbine OEM","name":"Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy","official_url":"https://www.siemensgamesa.com/global/en/home.html"} — Ocotillo Wind Project, California - Power Technology · confidence: medium
- Parties.6: {"relationship":"Project financier","name":"North American Development Bank","official_url":"https://nadbank.org/"} — Ocotillo Express Wind Energy Project · confidence: high
- Parties.6: {"relationship":"Project financier","name":"North American Development Bank","official_url":"https://nadbank.org/"} — Ocotillo Wind Project, California - Power Technology · confidence: high
- Parties.7: {"relationship":"Construction lender","name":"Deutsche Bank","official_url":"https://www.db.com/"} — Ocotillo Wind Project, California - Power Technology · confidence: medium
- Parties.8: {"relationship":"Construction lender","name":"RBC Capital Markets","official_url":"https://www.rbccm.com/"} — Ocotillo Wind Project, California - Power Technology · confidence: medium
- Product url: https://assets.siemens-energy.com/dam/468e4bf3-2c20-435d-a838-b36f00aa86c0/siemens-gamesa-on-aftermarket-product-catalogue-pdf_Original%20file.pdf — Source · confidence: medium
- Quality notes: ["EIA and NADBank records identify 265.4 MW, while Pattern’s public project page rounds the facility to 265 MW; NADBank specifies 112 turbines rated at 2.37 MW each.","Commercial operation was staged: 94 turbines were operating in December 2012, the remaining 18 were planned for installation in spring 2013, and the facility became fully operational in fall 2013.","The documented project history describes the original 112-turbine buildout and staged commissioning; it does not report a subsequent expansion, retirement, or repowering milestone."] — Ocotillo Express Wind Energy Project · confidence: medium
- Quality notes: ["EIA and NADBank records identify 265.4 MW, while Pattern’s public project page rounds the facility to 265 MW; NADBank specifies 112 turbines rated at 2.37 MW each.","Commercial operation was staged: 94 turbines were operating in December 2012, the remaining 18 were planned for installation in spring 2013, and the facility became fully operational in fall 2013.","The documented project history describes the original 112-turbine buildout and staged commissioning; it does not report a subsequent expansion, retirement, or repowering milestone."] — Pattern's Ocotillo Wind Project is First to Transmit Energy over the Sunrise Powerlink · confidence: medium
- Financing summary: Pattern announced financial close on October 12, 2012. The project financing was structured as a construction loan with a seven-year commercial-bank tranche co-led by Deutsche Bank and RBC Capital Markets and a 20-year tranche funded by the North American Development Bank; the commercial tranche also included Royal Bank of Scotland, Société Générale, NORD/LB, and KeyBank. NADBank’s project record identifies US$110 million in NADBank funds. Separately, GreenHunter Energy disclosed receipt of a US$2,936,500 cash milestone payment on October 12, 2012, arising from the July 2009 project sale; that payment was sale consideration, not project financing. — Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California · confidence: medium
- Financing summary: Pattern announced financial close on October 12, 2012. The project financing was structured as a construction loan with a seven-year commercial-bank tranche co-led by Deutsche Bank and RBC Capital Markets and a 20-year tranche funded by the North American Development Bank; the commercial tranche also included Royal Bank of Scotland, Société Générale, NORD/LB, and KeyBank. NADBank’s project record identifies US$110 million in NADBank funds. Separately, GreenHunter Energy disclosed receipt of a US$2,936,500 cash milestone payment on October 12, 2012, arising from the July 2009 project sale; that payment was sale consideration, not project financing. — Ocotillo Express Wind Energy Project · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.0: {"relationship":"Project owner / project company","name":"Ocotillo Express LLC","detail":"Project company that owns the Ocotillo Wind facility and was the buyer of the development project in July 2009.","official_url":"https://patternenergy.com/projects/ocotillo-wind/"} — Ocotillo Express Wind Energy Project · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.0: {"relationship":"Project owner / project company","name":"Ocotillo Express LLC","detail":"Project company that owns the Ocotillo Wind facility and was the buyer of the development project in July 2009.","official_url":"https://patternenergy.com/projects/ocotillo-wind/"} — Ocotillo Wind - Pattern Energy · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.1: {"relationship":"Parent owner / developer","name":"Pattern Energy Group, LP","detail":"Developed, financed, constructed, owned, and operated the project through affiliated project companies.","official_url":"https://patternenergy.com/"} — Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.6: {"relationship":"EPC / construction manager","name":"Blattner Energy","detail":"Managed the project construction and performed civil works including roads, foundations, electrical trenching, and turbine installation.","official_url":"https://www.blattnercompany.com/"} — Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.7: {"relationship":"Wind turbine OEM","name":"Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy","detail":"Supplied 112 SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines, including delivery, technical field assistance, commissioning, and a two-year service and maintenance agreement.","official_url":"https://www.siemensgamesa.com/global/en/home.html"} — Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.8: {"relationship":"Project financier","name":"North American Development Bank","detail":"Provided the 20-year financing tranche; its project record identifies US$110 million in NADBank funds.","official_url":"https://nadbank.org/"} — Ocotillo Express Wind Energy Project · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.9: {"relationship":"Construction lender / commercial tranche co-lead","name":"Deutsche Bank","detail":"Co-led the seven-year commercial-bank tranche of the construction financing.","official_url":"https://www.db.com/"} — Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.10: {"relationship":"Construction lender / commercial tranche co-lead","name":"RBC Capital Markets","detail":"Co-led the seven-year commercial-bank tranche of the construction financing.","official_url":"https://www.rbccm.com/"} — Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.11: {"relationship":"Commercial tranche participant","name":"Royal Bank of Scotland","detail":"Participated in the commercial tranche of the construction financing.","official_url":"https://www.natwestgroup.com/"} — Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.12: {"relationship":"Commercial tranche participant","name":"Société Générale","detail":"Participated in the commercial tranche of the construction financing.","official_url":"https://www.societegenerale.com/en"} — Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.13: {"relationship":"Commercial tranche participant","name":"NORD/LB","detail":"Participated in the commercial tranche of the construction financing.","official_url":"https://www.nordlb.com/"} — Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.14: {"relationship":"Commercial tranche participant","name":"KeyBank","detail":"Participated in the commercial tranche of the construction financing.","official_url":"https://www.key.com/"} — Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California · confidence: high
- Timeline.1: {"event":"Power-purchase agreement approval","date":"2012-01-12","detail":"The California Public Utilities Commission approved the amended 20-year renewable-energy power-purchase agreement between San Diego Gas & Electric and Ocotillo Express LLC."} — Summary of the Ocotillo Express LLC power purchase... · confidence: high
- Timeline.2: {"event":"Financing close","date":"2012-10-12","detail":"Pattern announced financial close for the 265 MW project using a seven-year commercial-bank tranche and a 20-year North American Development Bank tranche. GreenHunter separately disclosed a US$2,936,500 sale-related milestone payment on the same date."} — Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California · confidence: high
- Timeline.2: {"event":"Financing close","date":"2012-10-12","detail":"Pattern announced financial close for the 265 MW project using a seven-year commercial-bank tranche and a 20-year North American Development Bank tranche. GreenHunter separately disclosed a US$2,936,500 sale-related milestone payment on the same date."} — Ocotillo Express Wind Energy Project · confidence: high
- Timeline.2: {"event":"Financing close","date":"2012-10-12","detail":"Pattern announced financial close for the 265 MW project using a seven-year commercial-bank tranche and a 20-year North American Development Bank tranche. GreenHunter separately disclosed a US$2,936,500 sale-related milestone payment on the same date."} — GreenHunter Energy Receives $2.9 Million Performance Payment from Sale of California Wind Project in 2009 · confidence: high
- Timeline.3: {"event":"Construction and initial buildout","date":"2012","detail":"The project was under construction, with road and civil work substantially complete, most turbine foundations installed, and more than 30 turbines assembled by October 2012."} — Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California · confidence: high
- Timeline.4: {"event":"Initial commercial operation and first Sunrise Powerlink transmission","date":"2012-12","detail":"The project reached commercial operation with 94 turbines erected and operational and began transmitting energy over the Sunrise Powerlink; the remaining 18 turbines were scheduled for spring 2013 installation."} — Pattern's Ocotillo Wind Project is First to Transmit Energy over the Sunrise Powerlink · confidence: medium
- Quality notes.0: EIA and NADBank records identify 265.4 MW, while Pattern’s public project page rounds the facility to 265 MW; NADBank specifies 112 turbines rated at 2.37 MW each. — Ocotillo Express Wind Energy Project · confidence: high
- Quality notes.0: EIA and NADBank records identify 265.4 MW, while Pattern’s public project page rounds the facility to 265 MW; NADBank specifies 112 turbines rated at 2.37 MW each. — Ocotillo Wind - Pattern Energy · confidence: high
- Quality notes.1: Commercial operation was staged: 94 turbines were operating in December 2012, the remaining 18 were planned for installation in spring 2013, and the facility became fully operational in fall 2013. — Pattern's Ocotillo Wind Project is First to Transmit Energy over the Sunrise Powerlink · confidence: high
- Quality notes.2: The documented project history describes the original 112-turbine buildout and staged commissioning; it does not report a subsequent expansion, retirement, or repowering milestone. — Pattern's Ocotillo Wind Project is First to Transmit Energy over the Sunrise Powerlink · confidence: medium

## Timeline

- 2012 — Construction and initial buildout
  The project was under construction, with road and civil work substantially complete, most turbine foundations installed, and more than 30 turbines assembled by October 2012.
  Source: Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pattern-energy-completes-financing-on-the-ocotillo-wind-project-in-southern-california-173877361.html)
- 2012-10-12 — Financing close
  Pattern announced financial close for the 265 MW project using a seven-year commercial-bank tranche and a 20-year North American Development Bank tranche. GreenHunter separately disclosed a US$2,936,500 sale-related milestone payment on the same date.
  Source: Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pattern-energy-completes-financing-on-the-ocotillo-wind-project-in-southern-california-173877361.html)
- 2012-12 — Initial commercial operation and first Sunrise Powerlink transmission
  The project reached commercial operation with 94 turbines erected and operational and began transmitting energy over the Sunrise Powerlink; the remaining 18 turbines were scheduled for spring 2013 installation.
  Source: Pattern's Ocotillo Wind Project is First to Transmit Energy over the Sunrise Powerlink (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/patterns-ocotillo-wind-project-is-first-to-transmit-energy-over-the-sunrise-powerlink-186186242.html)
- 2013 — Full operation
  Construction was completed during 2013 and the facility became fully operational in fall 2013.
  Source: Source (https://tethys.pnnl.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Golden-Eagle-Conservation-Plan_ocotillo-2018.pdf)

## Sources

- [Pattern Energy](https://patternenergy.com/) — patternenergy.com · tier other
- [MBR | Lookup Data](https://mbrweb.ferc.gov/LookupData/Index/entities_to_genassets?page=295) — mbrweb.ferc.gov · tier regulatory
- [GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS](https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDocument.aspx?tn=263429&DocumentContentId=100035) — efiling.energy.ca.gov · tier regulatory
- [E-4458 Final Redacted Resolution (This approves cost recovery for the long-term renewable energy power purchase agreement, as amended, between SDG&E and Ocotillo Express LLC)](https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PUBLISHED/FINAL_RESOLUTION/157540.htm) — docs.cpuc.ca.gov · tier regulatory
- [Ocotillo Wind - Pattern Energy](https://patternenergy.com/projects/ocotillo-wind/) — patternenergy.com · tier other
- [Source](https://tethys.pnnl.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Golden-Eagle-Conservation-Plan_ocotillo-2018.pdf) — tethys.pnnl.gov · tier regulatory
- [Ocotillo Wind Project, California - Power Technology](https://www.power-technology.com/projects/ocotillo-wind-project-california/) — power-technology.com · tier other
- [Ocotillo Express Wind Energy Project](https://nadbank.org/our-projects/financed-projects/proyect/ocotillo-express-wind-energy-project) — nadbank.org · tier other
- [Source](https://assets.siemens-energy.com/dam/468e4bf3-2c20-435d-a838-b36f00aa86c0/siemens-gamesa-on-aftermarket-product-catalogue-pdf_Original%20file.pdf) — assets.siemens-energy.com · tier other
- [Pattern's Ocotillo Wind Project is First to Transmit Energy over the Sunrise Powerlink](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/patterns-ocotillo-wind-project-is-first-to-transmit-energy-over-the-sunrise-powerlink-186186242.html) — prnewswire.com · tier other
- [Pattern Energy Completes Financing on the Ocotillo Wind Project in Southern California](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pattern-energy-completes-financing-on-the-ocotillo-wind-project-in-southern-california-173877361.html) — prnewswire.com · tier other
- [GreenHunter Energy Receives $2.9 Million Performance Payment from Sale of California Wind Project in 2009](https://www.cnbc.com/2012/10/12/greenhunter-energy-receives-29-million-performance-payment-from-sale-of-california-wind-project-in-2009.html) — cnbc.com · tier other

## Data quality

- EIA and NADBank records identify 265.4 MW, while Pattern’s public project page rounds the facility to 265 MW; NADBank specifies 112 turbines rated at 2.37 MW each. The documented project history describes the original 112-turbine buildout and staged commissioning; it does not report a subsequent expansion, retirement, or repowering milestone.

---

Canonical page: https://askthegrid.com/assets/facilities/ocotillo-express-llc

Source: Ask the Grid — https://askthegrid.com/