Oklahoma's Wind Power Development Strategy
By Sharryn Dotson, Online Editor, Power Engineering
04 September 2012
04 September 2012
Oklahoma, USA -- Once known for oil and gas production, Oklahoma has quickly established itself as a major player in the wind power generation industry. Today the state is taking advantage of its abundant natural resources with rapid development of wind.
Oklahoma was not always a big source of wind power projects, but a leader in oil and gas, and that may be what helped the state to develop its wind resources. “Our history and experience with the oil and gas industry helped us to understand the energy industry, so adding wind to the generation mix made logical sense,” said Kylah McNabb, wind development specialist out of the state Energy Office at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.
McNabb said the state has 7,000 MW of wind energy in the queue and more that are reaching the development phase. The addition of transmission lines has also helped to expand the industry, including the proposed 800 mile (1280 km), 500 kV Clean Line Energy Plains and Eastern transmission line, which would be built from wind farms in Guymon in the Oklahoma panhandle to the Tennessee Valley Authority in Memphis. The line is expected to open up 3,500 MW of wind capacity for export. Construction is expected to begin in 2014, with service scheduled to begin in 2017.
“The state has been very supportive of the Clean Line development,” said state Energy Secretary Michael Ming. “The line is privately funded, and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission is behind it by granting utility status for building the line to Clean Line.” Utility status puts Clean Line one step closer to raising the funding required from private and public investors for actual construction of the project.
McNabb said the state has 7,000 MW of wind energy in the queue and more that are reaching the development phase. The addition of transmission lines has also helped to expand the industry, including the proposed 800 mile (1280 km), 500 kV Clean Line Energy Plains and Eastern transmission line, which would be built from wind farms in Guymon in the Oklahoma panhandle to the Tennessee Valley Authority in Memphis. The line is expected to open up 3,500 MW of wind capacity for export. Construction is expected to begin in 2014, with service scheduled to begin in 2017.
“The state has been very supportive of the Clean Line development,” said state Energy Secretary Michael Ming. “The line is privately funded, and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission is behind it by granting utility status for building the line to Clean Line.” Utility status puts Clean Line one step closer to raising the funding required from private and public investors for actual construction of the project.
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