| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Wind Power News: Oklahoma
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort 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.
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 »
Dilapidated Panhandle wind farm towers to be cleaned up
The owner of a dilapidated Oklahoma Panhandle wind farm has presented plans to clean up the most dangerous of the wind turbine towers. The plans are to address dangerously broken-down towers and turbines of the 60-tower KODE Novus I and II wind farm near Guymon, Oklahoma, The Oklahoman reported. Owner Olympia Renewable Platform LLC has hired a contractor to remove broken blades from seven towers and topple a couple of others topped with burned-out generator nacelles. The company assured the . . . Complete story »
Commissioners support wind turbine project
Pittsburg County commissioners are hopeful a proposed wind turbine project in the county will generate more then electricity. They are optimistic it could also blow lots of money into Pittsburg County. County commissioners voted Tuesday to sign a letter of support to Red Earth Energy, Inc. for the research and possible development of a wind farm in the southern part of the county. The letter will be sent to Red Earth Energy, Inc. and is headed “To Whom It May . . . Complete story »
