Kansas City, Mo., Utility Picks Developer, Location for Kansas Wind Farm
Posted on: Tuesday, 13 December 2005, 21:00 CST
By Steve Everly, The Kansas City Star, Mo.
Dec. 14--KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kansas City Power & Light has picked the developer and location for a 100-megawatt wind-energy project in Kansas.
The $160 million wind farm will be built by enXco Inc. near Spearville Kan., which is just northeast of Dodge City. Bill Downey, chief executive officer of KCP&L, said it would be the first project in KCP&L's plans to meet increased demand for power -- plans that include a new coal-fired power plant near Weston.
The wind farm should be in service by Oct. 15 next year, the company said Tuesday.
The Spearville Wind Energy Facility will consist of 67 General Electric turbines spread out over 5,000 acres. The site is expected to have wind sufficient to power the turbines about half the time and provide electricity for 33,000 homes.
The decision to build in Kansas furthers the state's efforts to be a prime location for wind energy. Only North Dakota and Texas are considered to have more potential in generating wind power. According to the Kansas Energy Information Center, the state has 253 megawatts of wind power in operation or under construction, and more than 2,000 megawatts of wind power had been proposed.
"Kansas is one of the top wind-producing states in the country, and KCP&L's investment in this project is a giant step toward Kansas harnessing our considerable renewable energy resources," Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement.
The Spearville facility will be built by enXco, a California company that is affiliated with EDF Energies Nouvelles, a French company. EnXco has been in business since 1987 and is the fourth- largest owner of wind-energy installations in the United States. The Spearville facility will be owned and operated by KCP&L.
An enXco executive said Tuesday that the company had been working with the Spearville community for a couple of years to develop a wind project and looked forward to capitalizing on the wind resource with KCP&L.
"EnXco is delighted to have been awarded with this milestone project for KCP&L," said David Corchia, enXco's chief executive officer.
Wind energy is generally favored by environmentalists as a renewable source for power, but wind projects have created controversy, in part for disturbing sensitive sites such as wetlands and bird-nesting areas. KCP&L had meetings with groups discussing potential locations, and the utility said Tuesday that the Spearville site did not include irreplaceable prairie landscapes, wetlands or critical wildlife habitat, nor does it appear to be a major stop for migratory birds.
"I can't give enough accolades for how KCP&L has gone about this," said Ron Klataske, executive director of Audubon of Kansas. "They deserve a lot of credit for the corporate leadership they have shown."
The Nature Conservancy also praised the company's wind project. The Sierra Club in Missouri said it was still opposed to the 850 megawatt coal-fired plant that KCP&L plans to build near Weston but supports the wind facility.
"We would encourage them to do more of that," said Wallace McMullen, the group's clean air chairman.
Unlike some utilities, KCP&L will own and operate the Spearville facility instead of buying wind power from another owner. And KCP&L plans call for the possibility of a second 100 megawatt wind farm.
Mike Chesser, chairman of Great Plains Energy Inc., KCP&L's parent, said a decision on a second wind project hadn't been made. But he said it would be seriously considered, including looking at sites in Kansas and Missouri.
The company's intent, he said, is to be "fully submerged" in the wind business.
Great Plains' stock closed Tuesday at $28.97, down 17 cents.
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Copyright (c) 2005, The Kansas City Star, Mo.
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KLT, GXP,
Source: The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Missouri)
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