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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.
Corporation Commission seeks to hear from wind businesses before updating rules
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is embarking on a process that likely will tweak its wind development rules as it seeks to implement a new law that harnesses the state’s wind power to support the military. The law, approved by Oklahoma’s Legislature and Gov. Kevin Stitt, clarifies processes wind farm developers in Oklahoma must follow to ensure needed federal approvals to protect low-level military training areas are obtained before construction on those projects can begin. Those needed federal approvals must be . . . Complete story »
US wind turbine collapses ‘not linked’, says GE
GE Renewable Energy said it is treating the collapse of two of its machines within months as “separate and isolated incidents”, as latest research on the issue seen by Recharge says the wind industry needs a better understanding of the complex interaction of factors that can bring turbines down. A GE 2.4-107 turbine crumpled to the ground at the Chisholm View 2 wind farm in Oklahoma last week, prompting the launch of an investigation at the project, which entered service . . . Complete story »
Commissioners sign road use agreement
NEWKIRK – The Kay County Commissioners met in the Kay County Courthouse Tuesday morning, May 14, for a special meeting with Duke Energy Renewables and community supporters to formally sign a road use agreement for the proposed Frontier II Windpower Project wind farm, to be built around Newkirk and Kildare starting fall 2019. The project is an extension of the Frontier Windpower Project, located between Newkirk and Blackwell. The community has been split concerning the project, with many expressing concerns about . . . Complete story »
NextEra Energy cancels plans for two wind power projects
NextEra Energy Resources has withdrawn plans to construct two wind farms in western Oklahoma. The decision follows Governor Kevin Stitt signing a law that ensures wind turbine construction doesn’t interfere with low-level military training routes. Full Transcript Katelyn Howard: This is the Business Intelligence Report, a weekly conversation about business news in Oklahoma. I’m Katelyn Howard, and with me is Russell Ray, editor of The Journal Record. Thanks for joining me today, Russell. Russell Ray: It’s good to be here, . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine collapses outside Hunter; cause under investigation
HUNTER, Okla. – Enel Green Power North America is investigating why a wind turbine belonging to the company collapsed Tuesday, May 21, 2019, near this rural community. “Enel Green Power North America is working with the turbine manufacturer GE to investigate an incident that occurred yesterday involving a turbine failure at our Chisholm View II wind project in Grant County, Oklahoma,” the company said Wednesday in a statement. The wind farm’s footprint extends into both Grant and Garfield counties. According to . . . Complete story »
NextEra Energy pulls plug on two wind power projects
NextEra Energy Resources dropped plans Friday for construction of two wind farms in western Oklahoma, following the passage of a law protecting low-level military training routes in planning of wind farms. The scrapped projects were Minco V, a 220-megawatt, 90-turbine wind farm planned for Caddo County, and Crowder, a 250-megawatt, 100-turbine wind farm planned for Washita County. The $270 million Minco V project would have employed 200 during construction and 12 operators permanently, and the $300 million Crowder project would . . . Complete story »
NextEra withdraws plans for wind farm opposed by military
NextEra Energy Resources is withdrawing plans to build a wind farm that had been opposed by the Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission, according to the office of Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter and OSMPC Chairman Mike Cooper. Construction on the company’s wind farm west of Hinton was stopped last October after NextEra and the OSMPC agreed to work on a mitigation plan with the Defense Department to resolve the issue. Hinton is 53 miles west of Oklahoma City and 88 . . . Complete story »
NextEra Energy Resources scraps wind farm plans because of airspace concerns
Plans were dropped Friday to build two west-central Oklahoma wind energy projects, including one that had been paused by potential litigation over concerns it would interfere with low-level military training air routes, their developer announced Friday. NextEra Energy Resources, a wind developer that has invested more than $5 billion in Oklahoma projects, said it began notifying landowners it had negotiated leases with for those projects on Friday afternoon it will not proceed. Scrapped projects are the 220-megawatt Minco V wind . . . Complete story »
Governor approves bill that clarifies approval process for future wind development in Oklahoma
Oklahomans are poised to harness the wind’s power to support the military. Gov. Kevin Stitt on Tuesday signed House Bill 2118, which clarifies approval processes developers for wind farms in Oklahoma must follow to ensure needed federal approvals to protect low-level military training areas are obtained before construction on future wind projects can begin. The needed federal approvals must be provided by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse. The measure, authored by State . . . Complete story »
Legislature passes new bill to protect military airspace from wind turbine encroachment
The Oklahoma House unanimously passed House Bill 2118 on Wednesday, setting new requirements and penalties meant to protect military airspace from encroachment by wind turbine development. Mike Cooper, city of Enid military liaison and chairman of Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission, said the legislation protects the strategic and economic value of airspace used by Oklahoma’s three Air Force bases. Military aircraft fly training missions from Tinker in Midwest City, Vance in Enid and Altus in Altus. Sheppard Air Force Base . . . Complete story »
