Vail Resorts announces PPA with Lincoln Clean Energy

Vail Resorts, Inc. announced a long-term wind energy contract to purchase the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power 100% of its estimated FY 2019 North American operations by 2020. 

The Company’s multimillion-dollar wind energy virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) enables the development of the Plum Creek Wind Project, which is expected to be completed in 2020. Under the 12-year agreement, Vail Resorts is purchasing 310,000 megawatt hours (MWh) annually – enough wind energy to reduce the emissions associated with the Company’s estimated FY 2019 North American electricity use by 100 percent, which includes the recent acquisitions of Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Stevens Pass Resort, Okemo Mountain Resort, and Mount Sunapee Resort. That is also the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power 30,000 average U.S. homes each year.

The Company’s agreement with Lincoln Clean Energy, a subsidiary of Ørsted and a leading developer of U.S. renewables, is the first of its kind to be executed by a Colorado-based company as a buyer and will make Vail Resorts the first major company in the leisure and hospitality industry to achieve 100% renewable electricity for its North American electricity load with a VPPA. Schneider Electric Energy & Sustainability Services served as a strategic advisor to Vail Resorts on the selection of the Plum Creek project.