- IPP Invenergy and GE Renewable Energy have announced commercial operations of the 999MW Traverse Wind Energy Center, the largest wind farm constructed in a single phase in North America.
Located in north central Oklahoma, Traverse joins the operational 199-megawatt Sundance Wind Energy Center and the 287-megawatt Maverick Wind Energy Center, as the last of three projects developed by Invenergy for American Electric Power (AEP) to reach commercial operation. These projects make up the North Central Energy Facilities and have 531 GE turbines with a combined capacity of 1,484 megawatts, making them collectively among the largest wind energy facilities globally.
The North Central Energy Facilities represent a $2 billion capital investment in north central Oklahoma, directly investing in the local economy through new tax revenues and lease payments to participating landowners and will generate enough electricity to power 440,000 American homes.
AEP’s subsidiaries Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) and Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) assumed ownership of the three wind farms upon start of commercial operations to serve their customers in Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
Invenergy Services, a subsidiary of Invenergy, will provide Operations and Maintenance, Balance of Plant, Energy Management, and Asset Management services under a 10-year agreement, adding to the 13-gigawatt global sustainable energy project portfolio it manages.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
