PPA for 700 MW combined energy project in the USA

Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC) has announced that it has entered into a power purchase agreement with a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, for the largest combined 700 MW wind, solar and energy storage project in the USA.

The combined energy project is the first of its kind announced in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the electric grid region that includes Oklahoma and 13 other states in the central U.S. covering 546,000 square miles. It is also the largest co-located wind, solar and energy storage project in the USA.

The project will come online in two phases:

• Skeleton Creek Wind – 250 MW of wind energy, expected to begin operations by the end of 2019
• Skeleton Creek Solar – 250 MW of solar energy, expected to begin operations by the end of 2023
• Skeleton Creek Storage – 200 MW, 4-hour battery energy storage project, expected to begin operations by the end of 2023

Once commercial, the project will help further diversify WFEC’s generation portfolio to consist of 521 MW of solar generation: 955 MW of wind generation and 270 MW of hydroelectric generation. Also, when completed, some 50 percent of WFEC nameplate capacity will include facilities generating electricity by wind, solar or hydroelectric power.

The Skeleton Creek projects will be located in Garfield, Alfalfa and Major counties in Oklahoma. In addition to the clean energy they generate, they have the potential to stimulate the local economy by creating hundreds of construction jobs, full-time operational jobs, as well as millions of dollars in additional revenue for landowners and the local communities.

President and chief executive officer of NextEra Energy Resources John Ketchum said “Pairing renewable energy with battery storage presents a tremendous advantage for Western Farmers and its customers. With this combined facility, we can optimize and maximize the amount of low-cost,
emissions-free electricity we provide, while helping Western Farmers diversify its power generation portfolio, reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and set a great example for others to follow.”