BP Wind Energy and Sempra U.S. Gas & Power have announced that the 470 MW Flat Ridge 2 Wind Farm has entered commercial operation.
The wind farm, located on a 66,000-acre site in Kansas' Harper, Barber, Kingman and Sumner counties, is a 50-50 joint venture between BP and Sempra. It is the state's biggest wind project and the largest single-build wind farm ever constructed in the U.S., according to the companies.
Flat Ridge 2 represents a combined investment in excess of $800 million, and created over 500 jobs during the peak of construction as well as 30 permanent jobs. The wind farm utilizes 294 GE 1.6 MW wind turbines and will generate enough electricity to power over 140,000 average U.S. homes, according to the companies.
The entire power output from the wind farm has been sold under long-term power purchase agreements to Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. (310 MW), Southwestern Electric Power Co. (a unit of American Electric Power (109 MW)), and Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. (51 MW). The power generated by the Flat Ridge 2 Wind Farm will be exported to Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana.
