BP Wind Energy and Dominion have announced full commercial operation of phase I of the 400 MW Fowler Ridge Wind Farm in Benton County, Ind. BP and Dominion are partners on approximately 300 MW of this project. The two companies could expand the facility to a total of 750 MW in the future.
Construction of the first phase of the wind farm – 90 miles northwest of Indianapolis – began in 2008. Built by RMT Inc., phase I utilizes 182 1.65 MW Vestas wind turbines with a hub height of 262 feet and a rotor diameter of 269 feet, and 40 2.5 MW Clipper wind turbines with a hub height of approximately 262 feet and a rotor diameter of 314 feet.
A total of 850 workers were employed at the peak of construction. A full-time staff of 36 is employed to monitor and maintain the first phase of the facility. BP Wind Energy is operator.
‘The commercial operation of the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm marks an important step for BP in helping Indiana increase its role as a provider of energy to support growing state and national demands,’ says John Graham, president of BP Wind Energy.
The power from phase one of the project has been sold under three long-term contracts: one contract with Dominion Energy Marketing Inc. for 200 MW and two contracts each for 100 MW with Indiana Michigan Power and Appalachian Power, both subsidiaries of American Electric Power.
SOURCE: BP Wind Energy
