Wind Power News: Oklahoma
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Cold temperatures bring wind power to a halt
If you’ve driven by Lake Lawtonka in the last few days you may have noticed the cold weather has stopped the wind turbines in the area. “They are large machines. These brutal temperatures, whether it’s starting your truck in the morning or operating a wind facility, it is very, very difficult in these brutally cold temperatures. We’re also seeing that, it’s not just wind turbines. It’s natural gas, it’s frozen wellheads, it’s valves, it’s pipelines, this is incredible what we’re . . . Complete story »
Wind farm operator forced to supply privileged communications in Osage County fight
In a court case going back nearly 8 years, a Tulsa Federal Judge has ordered wind farm developer Osage Wind to turn over documents it contended were privileged communication with its legal representation. Osage Wind was sued by the Osage Minerals Council after it began construction of a wind farm in Osage County in 2013. The U.S. government joined the lawsuit in 2014 in which the Osage tribe contended the ground development for the 84 wind turbines constituted mining and . . . Complete story »
Lankford, Cramer, Hoeven, Capito, Rep. Marchant Push to Eliminate Wind Tax Credit
WASHINGTON, DC – Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) along with Representative Kenny Marchant (R-TX) today introduced legislation to completely phase out the federal production tax credit (PTC) for renewables. The bill specifies that any new projects would need to begin construction by the end of this year in order to qualify for the credit, as is the case under current law. This affirms that the extension for 2020 is the last extension . . . Complete story »
Maverick wind farm planned to start building this fall in Major County
Developers are nearing the construction stage of Maverick Wind Energy Center, a wind farm to be built in eastern Major County. Emily Brumit, Maverick Wind Energy Center developer, said Invenergy LLC expects to start construction of the 288-megawatt farm in late fall 2020, with a target operational date in December 2021. Maverick is planned to be built on 55,000 acres of land, beginning south of U.S. 412 between Ringwood and Lahoma, and running south to the Kingfisher County line. Transmission . . . Complete story »
Public Service Co. of Oklahoma’s wind plan takes flight despite Texas’ rejection
American Electric Power isn’t trimming its sails on its plan to buy three under-construction wind farms covering north-Central Oklahoma. Officials at the utility, parent of Public Service Co. of Oklahoma, said it remains committed to pursuing the plan despite Texas regulators’ recent decision to not approve a cost-recovery mechanism for the utility in that state. “We are disappointed that our customers in Texas will not be able to benefit from the low-cost wind energy the north central projects will provide,” . . . Complete story »
SWEPCO Wind Project approved in Arkansas
Southwestern Electric Power Co. has received Arkansas Public Service Commission approval of its request to add 810 megawatts of wind energy. On May 5 the APSC modified and approved provisions of a unanimous settlement agreement filed Jan. 24 by the APSC General Staff, the Office of Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, Walmart, Inc. and SWEPCO. SWEPCO president and chief operating officer Malcolm Smoak said, “We are excited for this opportunity to bring more clean, low-cost renewable energy to our Arkansas . . . Complete story »
Oklahoma Corporation Commission approves PSO wind power agreement
Officials say that Oklahoma will continue to be one of the states with the lowest cost for electricity following a settlement agreement for wind power approved by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. The settlement allows Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) to recover costs to add 675 megawatts of wind power in Oklahoma with no rate increase for customers. The plan calls for PSO to own a share of three Oklahoma wind farms, known as the North Central Energy Facilities. “Approval . . . Complete story »
Public Service Co. of Oklahoma gets recommended approval of its plan to add wind power
Don’t call Public Service Co. of Oklahoma’s plan to add 675 megawatts of additional wind power to its portfolio “Wind Catcher II.” A witness testifying Monday before an Oklahoma Corporation Commission administrative law judge and two of three elected commissioners who sat in on the hearing said there are several reasons why that description would be inaccurate. “I have kind of bristled at the comparison,” Matthew A. Horeled, PSO’s regulatory and finance vice president, testified on Monday in response to . . . Complete story »
Agreement sets stage for Public Service Co. of Oklahoma to add wind energy to its portfolio if regulators agree
TULSA – Regulators and other interested parties have agreed to Public Service Co. of Oklahoma’s proposal to buy ownership into three under-construction wind farms in north-central Oklahoma, the utility announced Tuesday. Utility spokespeople said the agreement between the utility, the Public Utility Division of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office and consumer groups propels it forward on its plan to add 675 megawatts of energy to its energy resources. “This settlement agreement puts PSO a step closer to . . . Complete story »
NextEra’s ‘largest-of-its-kind’ energy project still in talks with Vance AFB
The Skeleton Creek wind farm project, initially planned to be up and running by the end of 2019, has been pushed back by a year as talks over air space between NextEra Energy Resources and Vance Air Force Base continue. “There’s a number of factors … and certainly our interactions with the Air Force base are very important and a big part of that,” NextEra spokesman Bryan Garner said, adding that “other considerations” also contributed to the revised timetable. The . . . Complete story »
