Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has announced plans to expand its Wild Horse Wind Facility, located east of Ellensburg on central Washington's Whisky Dick Mountain.
PSE is proposing to add approximately 25 wind turbines to its Wild Horse operations in eastern Kittitas County, which currently has 127 turbines. The expansion would add a 1,400-acre parcel of land immediately to the north of the existing 9,150-acre site.
At maximum output, the Wild Horse facility currently generates up to 229 MW of electricity. The expansion project will boost Wild Horse generating capacity by a projected 40 MW to 50 MW. The proposed expansion remains within the maximum number of turbines (158) and power output (312 MW) authorized by Wild Horse's original development permits.
‘The Wild Horse site has proven itself to be an excellent location for producing clean, renewable energy, and it makes sense to build on that success,’ says Kimberly Harris, executive vice president and chief resource officer for PSE.
PSE anticipates that once the necessary approvals are received, construction will begin in 2009 with the new Wild Horse turbines producing electricity by 2010.
