The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has unanimously approved a settlement to OG&E's application to build and operate a new wind farm in northwestern Oklahoma. The Crossroads wind farm is expected to come online in the second half of 2011.
‘We reached unanimous agreement with customer and shareholder groups, state agencies and regulatory officials, which culminated in today's 3-0 commission vote to approve the Crossroads project,’ says Jesse Langston, vice president of utility commercial operations for OG&E.
Crossroads, to be built in Dewey County, is expected add to at least 198 MW of renewable generation. Pending the results of a Southwest Power Pool regional transmission study, the commission order allows for Crossroads to be constructed with up to 227 MW of generating capacity.
Average residential customers could see an increase in their monthly bills of somewhere between $0.59 and $0.65 per month when Crossroads is in full production in 2012. Beginning in 2013 or 2014, the lower-cost energy produced by Crossroads is expected to result in a net decrease in average monthly residential electric bills and to reduce customer bills each year the wind farm is in operation.
The new wind farm, to be constructed by Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc., will have at least 86 Siemens turbines rated at 2.3 MW each and will connect with OG&E's new Windspeed transmission line to Oklahoma City, which was energized earlier this year.
SOURCE: O&E
