Wind Power News: Arkansas
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
SWEPCO settles legal issue with wind power contracts
SWEPCO announced Wednesday that it will purchase additional wind power to supplement its energy portfolio and meet a renewable energy commitment, settling a legal issue surrounding the coal-fired John W. Turk Jr. Power Plant. On Dec. 22, SWEPCO announced it had settled a lawsuit brought against the company by the Sierra Club, the National Audubon Society and Audubon Arkansas related to Turk Plant construction in southwest Arkansas. Those groups objected to the Turk Plant — a modern, coal-fired power plant . . .
TVA may pipe in wind power
TVA is considering a power-line “superhighway” that would zip wind-generated electricity from Oklahoma to Tennessee — providing clean energy equal to about three nuclear reactors. The Tennessee Valley Authority signed a nonbinding understanding last month to continue exploring the possibility of the 800-mile project that would funnel masses of electricity into the TVA transmission system. TVA could buy the power or send it on to other regions for a fee. East Tennessee has a few turbines, but winds in western . . .
Transmission line: State agency to weigh plan
A Houston company proposing to build a 550-mile-long, high-voltage electric transmission line starting in Ford County and stretching to Missouri – and likely passing through Reno County – now has its case before the Kansas Corporation Commission. The KCC already has received testimony on Clean Line’s request to be declared a Kansas public utility in order to build its “direct current” line, which the company is calling Grain Belt Express. The commission expects to issue a decision by Dec. 22, . . .
Fire at Little Rock plant extinguished
Little Rock Police are giving the all clear after a small fire shut down production L.M. Wind Power. According to Adam Ruple with L.M. Wind Power, an accident at the facility on Frazier Pike set a chemical cabinet, filled with a highly flammable material, on fire around 10:30 am Wednesday. Ruple says staff tried to put it out themselves, but when they could not, police and HAZMAT teams were called. Authorities evacuated the plant and shut down production until the . . .
Fire at LM Wind Power forces evacuation of 75
A hazardous leak and fire sends employees out of a Little Rock manufacturer. It happened at LM Wind Power Wednesday morning where quick action help contain the flammable liquid. Instead of spending their lunch hour getting something to eat LM Wind Power employees stood around in the heat. Little Rock police say a 55-gallon drum containing the flammable and highly explosive liquid methyl ethyl ketone peroxide leaked and smoked. Employees grabbed a fire extinguisher and then called the Little Rock . . .
PCCUA testing wind strength in Arkansas County
DeWitt, Ark. — It’s windy, all right. The results are already proving to be helpful as the DeWitt campus of Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas prepares to enter its fifth month of the Arkansas Anemometer Loan Program implemented by John Brown University in Siloam Springs. John Brown and PCCUA officials are collecting a year’s worth of wind data through three anemometers, which assess whether installing a wind turbine in Arkansas County is a feasible option. Terry Turner, . . .
A wind study the size of Arkansas
Here’s some serious state marketing: Arkansas officials plan on attracting new wind-farm developers to the state by launching a tall-tower wind study. WindPole Ventures and AWS Truepower LLC will build a wind resource monitoring network for the state. The data collected will provide developers with a better understanding of the wind resources available and encourage development. The ARRA of 2009 will provide a large portion of the funding for the network. The Arkansas Energy Office, a division of the Arkansas . . .
Wind-power talked up, but bill fades
Speakers at a wind-power industry workshop in Little Rock on Thursday called for more government support at the same time a bill providing for just that failed to clear an Arkansas Senate committee. “The Clean Energy Act of 2011,” or Senate Bill 721, garnered four out of five votes needed to pass in the Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce. The bill would have required electric utilities to offer to buy up to 3 percent of their electricity from facilities . . .
Hearing begins on Clean Line Energy’s utility application
Clean Line Energy executives on Tuesday played up the economic development potential of a proposed $3.5 billion power line project across Oklahoma and Arkansas as a hearing began on the company’s application to be granted utility status. Company officials said Clean Line is applying to public utility status because they believe the project should be subject to Oklahoma Corporation Commission oversight, but critics contend the application is only about securing condemnation rights. “This is like the elephant in the room . . .
Arkansas commission deals setback to Clean Line
Woodward, Okla. — Earlier this week, the 3-member Arkansas Public Service Commission denied Plains and Eastern Clean Line’s request to be considered a public utility in that state. However, the Houston-based wind energy company said it plans to continue to work with the Arkansas commission as it moves toward construction of 2 high voltage transmission lines that would span Oklahoma and Arkansas, to carry electricity from a Guymon area wind farm to southeastern U.S. energy markets. Clean Line Executive Vice . . .
