For the first time in its company history, AmerenUE has made a wind power purchase.
The corporation this week signed an agreement to purchase 102 megawatts of wind power from a wind farm in Iowa.
The power will tie into the Midwest transmission grid and fulfills Ameren’s commitment to add 100 megawatts of renewable energy by 2010.
Ameren Manager of Renewable Energy Bill Barberiere says this is an environmentally responsible way to add clean electricity to the grid.
"A house will consume about, if you figure about 12 megawatt hours for the year is what the average home will consume in a year, we will get enough to completely power a little over 26,000 houses for the year," he said.
Barberiere says this purchase also fulfills Missouri’s Proposition C legislation, which passed last fall and requires utilities to generate a percentage of their power through renewable resources. The 15-year agreement with the wind farm begins Sept 1.
The agreement with AmerenUE to sell renewable wind energy from the 102.3 megawatt second phase of its Pioneer Prairie Wind Farm, which has a total installed capacity of 300 megawatt already in operation.
"This is Horizon’s first Power Purchase Agreement with AmerenUE and we applaud AmerenUE for making a long-term commitment to supply their Missouri customers with pollution-free wind energy," said Gabriel Alonso, Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Wind Energy. "This is the third PPA closing for our 2009 project portfolio; we find this to be encouraging and are proud to partner with AmerenUE."
The second phase of the Pioneer Prairie Wind Farm is located in Mitchell County, Iowa. The wind farm spans approximately 10,000 acres comprises 62 Vestas V82 wind turbines that produce 1.65 megawatts each. The second phase of the Pioneer Prairie Wind Farm began full operations in January.
Horizon Wind Energy develops, constructs, owns and operates wind farms throughout North America. The Houston, Texas-based company operates more than 20 offices across the United States and has developed more than 2,800 megawatts and operates more than 2,000 megawatts of wind farms.
For more, visit horizonwind.com .
For more about Ameren UE, visit ameren.com .
Erin Hyden reports [Download/listen MP3]
