More Wind Power

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has placed an order for 22 wind turbine generators with Vestas for the proposed expansion of the utility's Wild Horse wind and solar facility. Delivery of the turbines and initial construction, after all approvals are received, is slated for mid-2009, with entry into commercial service by later that year. The turbine order accounts for the major portion of the proposed $100 million project.

"The turbines have proven themselves at our Wild Horse and Hopkins Ridge facilities in providing a reliable source of clean, renewable energy," says Kimberly Harris, executive vice president and chief resource officer for PSE. "Building on the success of Wild Horse makes sense for our customers and for the economy of the Kittitas Valley."

Vestas is the current supplier to Wild Horse and the utility's Hopkins Ridge Wind Facility in Dayton.

In addition to the turbine order, the Kittitas County board of commissioners voted at a public hearing to approve the expansion plan as a modification to the original 2005 site development agreement with the county. The planned expansion will result in 149 turbines and a capacity of 269 MW at Wild Horse – well within the original development agreement limits of 158 turbines and 312 MW. Currently, the wind facility has 127 turbines capable of producing 229 MW of electricity.

An environmental impact study for the project will be completed later this year, with final approval of the expansion plan expected by the state Energy Facilities Site Evaluation Council in early 2009.