Wind Power News: Oklahoma
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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.
OG&E may ask OK to position lines
Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. may ask state authorities to consider taking a role in placing future power lines, an official from OG&E’s parent company said Wednesday.
Paul Renfrow, the OGE Corp. vice president of public affairs, confirmed that discussions are taking place among leadership about the issue.
OG&E is working with landowners to place a 120-mile-long transmission line from near Woodward to far northwest Oklahoma City.
The 345 kilovolt line, which will be fixed atop poles 115 feet tall, will carry . . .
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Small Okla. town fights OG&E wind power transmission route
OKLAHOMA CITY – There is no proof that the power line hovering just 40 feet away from Julie Riggs’ bedroom window had anything to do with the congenital birth defect of the child conceived in that room. But her husband is convinced the two things are related. So the couple scrimped and saved to build a house away from the city.
Their new home is still under construction in Piedmont, a small community of about 4,000 residents just west of . . .
Piedmont may fight power line
PIEDMONT — The next step in the city’s quest to deal with a giant wind power transmission line is to study responses from residents, a city official said.
Piedmont officials want to know how badly residents want to fight plans by Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. to construct a 345,000-volt power line through the fastest growing part of the city, Mayor Mike Fina said.
At a Monday night town hall meeting at Piedmont First Baptist Church, more than 400 people filled . . .
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Piedmont residents see risks in OG&E power line proposal
PIEDMONT — About 400 people gathered Monday night at Piedmont First Baptist Church to voice their concerns over a proposed power transmission line scheduled to cut through the community’s fastest growing area.
Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. officials plan to build a 120-mile-long power line from wind farms south of Woodward to northwest Oklahoma City. OG&E officials attended the town hall meeting and fielded questions from residents.
OG&E sees line’s benefits
OG&E spokesman Paul Renfrow said the power lines will help . . .
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Piedmont fights power line plan
Residents of Piedmont are upset about plans that could have new power lines cutting through their community.
Oklahoma Gas & Electric wants to install lines through the fast-growing city to pull in energy from its wind farms in Woodward. Residents worry it will hurt the area’s growth and appearance.
Piedmont Mayor Mike Fina said he favors wind power but would rather OG&E install the lines around the city, even though it will cost the utility more money to do that. . . .
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Piedmont residents to hear about power line
PIEDMONT — A city official estimates more than 500 residents will show up for a town hall meeting concerning a route for an Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. wind power line. The meeting is 6:30 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church, 15 Jackson Ave. NW, Piedmont.
At the request of Piedmont residents, OG&E officials are expected to give a presentation on the project next week.
Councilman John Brown said more than 200 residents attended a recent city council meeting to . . .
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Moving wind power not cheap
Utilities spending millions to build transmission lines.
The wind is free, but the cost of harnessing its power doesn’t come cheaply. Each wind turbine can cost more than $1 million [$4 million -- Ed.].
Transporting the power from western Oklahoma to the population centers is even more expensive. Texas, for example, is investing almost $5 billion to create its own transmission system.
In the first phase of its transmission line project, OG&E will spend $211 million to build a 345,000 volt line between . . .
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Wind powers western land rush
Landowners are getting lucrative offers to lease land to build turbines for an energy source.
OKLAHOMA CITY — How hard the wind blows across wide-open western Oklahoma is starting to matter to more than just a few ranchers.
Already a lot of landowners stand to benefit from what is being called a “massive land rush” that has been generated by wind farm developers who are crisscrossing at least 24 counties, offering lucrative leases that make wind seem like it is as valuable . . .
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Wind-power growth could put prairie chickens on endangered list
A plucky little bird in northwest Oklahoma — known for its comical mating dances in which it patters around like a jittery wind-up toy — has found itself pitted against an unlikely environmental foe.
Huge power-generating wind turbines are expected to pop up all over the lesser prairie chicken’s habitat in coming years, and biologists say the development could push the birds onto the endangered species list or even into extinction.
“We’re very concerned they could go into a nose dive that . . .
Some say the new power plan will hurt environment, wildlife
To some, the emergence of wind power on Oklahoma’s high plains is casting a mighty big shadow.
It’s a source of business for communities across the state, where crews of workers coming from as far away as overseas need places to stay and other services while they work on wind developments.
It is also a source of income for landowners who are lucky enough to own real estate with wind power potential.
But not everyone is caught up in the wind power craze. . . .
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