Southern Power completes acquisition of 136 MW Skookumchuck wind project in Washington

Southern Power has completed the acquisition of its 12th wind project — the 136 megawatt (MW) Skookumchuck Wind Facility from RES (Renewable Energy Systems).

The project, located in Lewis and Thurston Counties, Washington, is Southern Power's first wind facility in the state and contributes to the company's growing renewable fleet of clean generating assets from California to Maine. Skookumchuck was developed by RES and is expected to utilize 38 wind turbines manufactured by Vestas. Construction is underway, and the project is expected to achieve commercial operation in the first quarter 2020.

Once operational, the electricity and associated renewable energy credits generated by the facility will be sold under a 20-year power purchase agreement with Puget Sound Energy, which will utilize the resource to meet the electricity demand of their Green Direct product customers. Southern Power is the majority owner and has signed an agreement to sell a minority stake in the facility to TransAlta Corporation upon commercial operation.