BP and Sempra US Gas & Power announce full commercial operation of the Flat Ridge 2 wind farm in Kansas
BP Wind Energy and Sempra US Gas & Power have announced that the Flat Ridge 2 Wind Farm located in Kansas, US, has moved into full commercial operation. It is the largest, single-build wind farm in the history of the US wind industry and represents a major investment in renewable power for US consumers.
Located on a 66,000-acre site spanning Harper, Barber, Kingman and Sumner counties, the Flat Ridge 2 Wind Farm is the largest wind farm in the state of Kansas.
BP and Sempra US Gas & Power are 50:50 joint venture partners for the 470 megawatt (MW) Flat Ridge 2 Wind Farm that represents a combined investment in excess of $800 million. A wholly owned affiliate of BP Wind Energy will be the operator.
The project created over 500 jobs during the peak of construction and some 30 permanent jobs have been created to monitor and maintain the facility now that it is online. The wind farm utilizes 294 GE wind turbines each with a rated capacity of 1.6 MW generating enough electricity to power over 140,000 average American homes.
The entire power output from the wind farm has been sold under long-term power purchase agreements to Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. (310 MW), Southwestern Electric Power Company, a unit of American Electric Power (109 MW), and Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation (51 MW), a Little Rock-based generation and transmission cooperative. Power generated from the Flat Ridge 2 Wind Farm will be exported to Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana.
"The state of Kansas has created a predictable, stable environment in which companies can invest and do business," said John Graham, president and CEO, BP Wind Energy. "The Flat Ridge 2 Wind Farm is a testament to the success of this strategy and is helping the state to be a net exporter of energy. This pro-growth strategy is the kind of approach wind energy needs from state legislators and BP looks forward to further expanding its wind energy footprint in Kansas if and when the business opportunity becomes available."
"This is a world-class project and a great example of why strong state and local leadership is essential in both attracting investment and ensuring the optimal use of our clean natural resources," said Jeffrey W. Martin, president and CEO of Sempra US Gas & Power. "Our strategic partnership with BP Wind Energy has allowed Sempra US Gas & Power to accelerate its growth into renewable energy and we are on track to reaching our goal of creating 1,400 MW of renewable energy capacity."
About BP
BP has invested more in the United States over the last five years than any other oil and gas company. With more than $52 billion in capital spending between 2007 and 2011, BP invests more in the US than in any other country. The company is the second largest producer of oil and gas in the US, a major oil refiner and a leader in alternative energy sources including wind power and biofuels. BP provides enough energy each year to light the entire country. With 23,000 U.S. employees, BP supports nearly a quarter of a million domestic jobs through its business activities. For more information, visit www.bp.com.
Since 2005, BP Alternative Energy has invested around $8 billion in alternative energy development, with more than $4 billion invested the US BP Wind Energy is a principal owner and operator of wind power facilities in the US with interests in 16 wind farms across nine states. BP Wind Energy has a gross generating capacity of nearly 2,600 MW – enough electricity to power over 775,000 average American homes. For more information, visit bp.com/alternativeenergy.
About Sempra US Gas & Power
Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, LLC is a leading developer of renewable energy and natural gas solutions. The company operates solar, wind and natural gas power plants that generate enough electricity for nearly 1 million homes, along with natural gas storage and pipelines, and distribution utilities. Sempra U.S. Gas & Power is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2011 revenues of $10 billion. The Sempra Energy companies’ nearly 17,500 employees serve about 31 million consumers worldwide. For more information, visit www.SempraUSGP.com.
Notes to Editors
Included in BP Wind Energy and Sempra U.S. Gas & Power’s joint venture portfolio:
- Fowler Ridge 2 Wind Farm in Benton County, Indiana: Located about 90 miles northwest of Indianapolis, this 200 MW wind farm utilizes 133 GE sle turbines each with a rated capacity of 1.5 MW. The wind farm became operational in December 2009 and is operated by BP.
- Cedar Creek 2 Wind Farm in Weld County, Colorado: Located some 20 miles north of New Raymer, this 250 MW wind farm utilizes 63 GE sle wind turbines, each with a rated capacity of 1.6 MW, and 60 Nordex wind turbines, each with a rated capacity of 2.5 MW. The wind farm became operational in October 2011 and is operated by BP.
- Mehoopany Wind Farm in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania: Located some 20 miles northwest of Scranton, this 141 MW wind farm is utilizes 88 GE xle turbines, each with a rated capacity of 1.6 MW. The wind farm became operational in December in 2012 and is operated by BP.
- Auwahi Wind Farm, Hawaii: Located on the island of Maui, this 21 MW wind farm utilizes 8 Siemens wind turbines. The wind farm became operational in December 2012 and is operated by Sempra U.S. Gas & Power.
