Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) has entered into a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Perrin Ranch Wind LLC, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, for the energy output from a wind farm located 13 miles north of Williams in Coconino County, Ariz. When completed, the 99 MW Perrin Ranch Wind Energy Center will be the largest wind project in Arizona.
The project will contain 62 wind turbine generators situated on rural grazing land and will provide enough energy for 25,000 homes when running at full capacity.
The APS autions that several steps remain before commercial operation, including Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) approval of the PPA and successful siting, permitting and interconnection of the project to the state's electric grid. If all goes according to plan, construction would begin in the second half of 2011, with commercial operation expected in 2012.
The energy will help APS meet the ACC-mandated renewable energy standard, as well as the Arizona-based wind provision included in the company's 2009 regulatory settlement agreement.
SOURCE: Arizona Public Service
