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.
Oklahoma wind farm sanctioned for safety violations is sold to new ownership
GUYMON – NextEra Energy Resources plans to build 57 new wind turbines across part of Oklahoma’s Panhandle as part of a project that will replace one owned by Olympia Renewable Platform LLC that was sanctioned by regulators for safety violations. NextEra officials said this week the company closed on a deal to acquire Olympia’s rights to harvest wind energy from an area between Guymon and Hardesty for an undisclosed amount. The Public Utility Division of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission took a . . . Complete story »
Wind farm dispute causing nearly $800,000 to be withheld from Davis public schools
Murray county is home to two wind farms totaling 175 windmills. When they first arrived they were given a 5 year tax exemption. Now that their tax exemption has ended the amount they owe is determined by their property value but that value is being disputed. “For this past year $189 million is what we had it valued at and they’re thinking it should be valued at $78 million,” said Murray County assessor Scott Kirby. One group that this money . . . Complete story »
Wind farms holding out nearly $800K from Davis schools
MURRAY COUNTY, Okla. (KTEN) – When the wind turbines you see along Interstate 35 were first installed, they received five years of tax exemptions. That time is now up. However, when it comes time to pay, there’s a disagreement between the county and the wind farms. “They feel like their value that we have for their wind farm is higher than what they feel like it should be valued,” said Murray County Assessor Scott Kirby. The money in question is frozen . . . Complete story »
Regulator ends safety case against Panhandle wind farm operator
Broken blades and burned-out nacelles that housed generators atop wind turbine towers that posed a threat to public safety at a wind farm in Oklahoma’s panhandle are gone. So are buried cables that connected damaged towers to infrastructure that at one time took power generated by the turbines onto the region’s transmission grid. The extensive damage was first reported on by The Oklahoman in June, after regulators issued an order to the owners of the wind farm to submit plans . . . Complete story »
Kingfisher County wind turbine catches fire
A wind turbine in Kingfisher County caught fire on Saturday afternoon. At 12:46 p.m., a fire was reported in the nacelle of a wind turbine at the Kingfisher Wind project in Kingfisher County, said Cat Strumlauf, a spokesperson with Apex Clean Energy, which operates the project. No damage to the surrounding area or injuries were reported. Local fire crews were dispatched to the sit, and the fire remained contained in the turbine until it went out, Strumlauf said in an . . . Complete story »
Kingfisher Fire Department responding to windmill fire
KINGFISHER COUNTY, Oklahoma – A fire has been reported at a windmill in Kingfisher County, officials confirmed Saturday. The fire is located on Reading Road south of State Highway 33. The Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office said it is aware of the fire. Firefighters in Kingfisher are responding to the scene. This is a developing story. Complete story »
Schools suffer as companies protest tax valuations
OKLAHOMA CITY – When a wind farm decided to set up shop, Minco Public Schools saw its assessed tax base increase nearly $50 million in about a decade. With that increased valuation, the 250-student district, about 20 miles north of Chickasha, was able to finance a new high school, middle school and improve its athletic facilities, said Kevin Sims, superintendent. But in the past year, Sims learned that the county assessor and wind company disagreed on the valuation of the wind . . . Complete story »
Cause of damage to 2 wind turbines near Helena being investigated
HELENA, Okla. – Two wind turbines along County Road 650 south of Helena were damaged earlier this month, though the cause of the damage still is under investigation. Bryan Garner, director of communications at NextEra Energy Resources, said in an email the turbines at the Skeleton Creek Energy Center were damaged on Aug. 11 and 12. Garner said turbine malfunction is “extremely rare.” “We believe this was an isolated mechanical incident, and the cause of the damage is still under investigation,” . . . Complete story »
Wind facility owner proposes safety fixes addressing safety concerns
The owner of a dilapidated and dangerous wind farm in northwest Oklahoma plans to remove broken blades from seven towers and to fell two others that are topped with burnt-out nacelles that used to house generators. Those steps will be taken by a contractor hired by Olympia Renewable Platform LLC later this year as the owner works to address public safety threats identified earlier this year posed by the KODE Novus I and II wind facility, southeast of Guymon in . . . Complete story »
New wires? Electrical transmission line planned from Noble to Tulsa counties; public forums set
The project is separate from the 4.5 billion proposed Wind Catcher wind power project that failed in 2018 following public outcry and rejection by the Texas Public Utility Commission. That project would have centered on construction of a 300,000-acre wind farm — the largest in the United States — in Cimarron and Texas counties by international energy giant Invenergy. Complete story »