Utilities launch wind farm in Weatherford, OK

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), May 4, 2005 by Journal Record Staff

Public Service Co. of Oklahoma and FPL Energy have begun generating electricity from a new 106.5-megawatt wind farm near Weatherford.

PSO and FPL Energy have signed an agreement that will increase the amount of electricity generated there by 40.5 megawatts, bringing the total capacity to 147 megawatts. PSO will purchase all of the additional power under a long-term contract.

The site expansion will involve an additional 27 1.5-megawatt wind turbines that are identical to the 71 turbines already operational. The turbines will be on 1,400 acres southeast of the original project site.

When announced in July 2004, the PSO wind power purchase agreement was the largest ever for a project in Oklahoma. The expansion will ensure PSO's position as the state's largest distributor of wind generation, said Stuart Solomon, PSO president and chief operating officer.

The Weatherford Wind Energy Center expansion work is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

PSO, a unit of American Electric Power, provides electricity for more than 505,000 customers in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma. Based in Tulsa, PSO has more than 4,000 megawatts of generating capacity. and offers some of the lowest energy prices in the United States.

FPL Energy, based in Juno Beach, Fla., operates 45 wind facilities in 15 states. It is a subsidiary of FPL Group, which includes Florida Power & Light Co.