Enel Green Power North America Inc. (EGPNA), a subsidiary of Enel SpA, has started construction of the 400 MW Cimarron Bend wind farm, located in Clark County, Kan.
Once completed, the project will be Enel’s largest wind farm worldwide. When fully operational, Cimarron Bend will be able to generate around 1.8 TWh annually – enough energy to meet the annual consumption needs of more than 149,000 U.S. households, says Enel.
The facility is owned by Cimarron Bend Wind Project LLC, a subsidiary of EGPNA. The power and renewable energy credits from Cimarron Bend, which is expected to enter into service by 2017, will be sold under two 200 MW bundled, long-term power purchase agreements: one with Google and one with the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities.
Enel says Cimarron Bend is the first of the company’s North American wind farms to sell a portion of the power produced to a corporate off-taker. EGPNA already owns and operates four wind farms in Kansas.
The construction of the project will require an investment of approximately $610 million, which is part of the investment outlined in the Enel’s current strategic plan. The project is financed through the Enel Group’s own resources.
“This project marks a major milestone for Enel, as not only will Cimarron Bend be the largest asset in our portfolio, but it also opens our renewable energy to new partners and uses,” comments Francesco Venturini, head of Enel’s global renewable energies division, Enel Green Power.
