One PPA is for 75 MW with Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC) and the second is with Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) for 30MW. The agreements were negotiated by the National Renewables Cooperative Organisation (NRCO).
The wind farm is expected to generate up to 144 MW of electricity and is predicted to use 90 General Electric 1.6 MW turbines. BP will market the remaining capacity to other customers in the north-east of the US.
“Today’s announcement is testimony to the team at NRCO for their successful delivery of PPA negotiations on behalf of their member cooperatives ODEC and SMECO,” said John Graham, president and CEO, BP Wind Energy. “These agreements mark a milestone in the development of the Mehoopany Wind Farm and we look forward to making our first investment in a wind project in the state of Pennsylvania.”
The Mehoopany Wind Farm is 100 percent owned and will be operated by BP Wind Energy. Subject to receiving all the necessary permits to proceed, it is anticipated that initial site construction work will start in the fourth quarter of 2011. The wind farm is expected to move into full commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Amadou Fall, CEO of NRCO, commented, “We have been interested in the Mehoopany Project for some time. This year all the pieces fell into place and two of our member cooperatives, ODEC and SMECO, were able to take advantage of a great opportunity through NRCO to work with an industry leader like BP Wind Energy and obtain affordable, renewable energy in a desirable location.”
“We are pleased to add BP Wind Energy’s Mehoopany Wind Farm to our portfolio of purchased-power resources,” said Jack Reasor, president and CEO of Old Dominion Electric Cooperative. “As electric cooperatives, we are above all committed to our members’ best interests. Projects such as this BP Wind Energy initiative -- which will provide clean, environmentally friendly power from a renewable resource -- are in harmony with those interests, as well as with the cooperative business principle of concern for community.”
BP Wind Energy will market the remaining capacity to other customers in the Northeast U.S. merchant market.
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