Oklahoma has signed up to 600MW of new wind power - and it will save the state utility, PSO, over $50 million in year one alone.The new wind farms are to be developed in the NW part of the state, known as the Panhandle, which Michael Skelly of Clean Line Energy describes as "one of the mother lodes of wind in this country".
A total of 3 wind projects are to be developed, each of 200MW and at a combined cost of about $1 billion. Hundreds of jobs will be created in construction and operation phases. The project began as a single 200MW wind farm but the extra units were added after PSO reported "seeing extraordinary pricing opportunities that will lower utility costs by an estimated $53 million in the first year and even more thereafter."
The developments will bring Oklahoma's combined wind capacity close to 4,000 MW. Completion is due in 2016.