Builder of largest US wind farm inks $1.4B turbine deal

December 10, 2009

When Shepherds Flat, the massive new wind farm being built by Caithness Energy in Oregon, is completed in 2012, its total capacity will be larger than any other wind farm currently in operation around the globe. GE is not only supplying the wind turbines in a $1.4 billion contract that was announced today, but the technology will be GE’s most advanced — its giant 2.5xl machines that will be making their North American debut. In the clip below, Steve Bolze, President & CEO of GE Power & Water, explains the deal.

GE's Steve Bolze explains the $1.4 billion contract that was just awarded to it by Caithness Energy to build a giant wind warm in Oregon.

Stretching across 30 square miles in north-central Oregon, near the town of Arlington, the 845-megawatt project, which has received the majority of the necessary government permits to operate and is ready to be built, will have a total of 338 turbines installed in 2011 and 2012. When it’s operational, it will be able to power approximately 235,000 average California households and will avoid more than 1.5 million tons a year in greenhouse gas emissions, compared to equivalent fossil fuel power generation.

The order by Caithness is the largest single global order of the turbines, which have already been proven in Europe and Asia. The machines heading for Oregon will be assembled at GE’s site in Pensacola, Florida, and as Steve noted: “Our capability to build these machines here in the United States and provide local resources and expertise were key factors in winning the contract.” In addition to supplying the wind turbines, GE will provide ten years of operational and maintenance services.

Caithness estimates that the $2 billion project will inject $16 million annually of direct economic benefits into Oregon, and will employ 400 workers during construction and 35 during operation. Construction will begin next year and will require 85 miles of roads and 90 miles of power connection lines to be built.

GE Energy Financial Services — with a portfolio of more than 40 wind farms with a total capacity to produce more than 6 Gigawatts of electricity — is investing in the project.

The builders say the development of the wind farm is made possible because of California’s renewables portfolio standard — which if adopted nationally in the form of a strong renewable electricity standard would propel the growth of renewable energy throughout the country.

* Read today’s announcement
* Read “GE wins $1.4bn turbine contract” in The Financial Times
* Read “Europe’s largest onshore wind farm expands with GE” on GE Reports
* Learn about efforts to strengthen Renewable Electricity Standards in the U.S.
* See how a wind turbine blade is made in our Blade Runner series
* Read “GE’s giant wind turbines set to debut in Sweden”
* Read about the 2.5xl turbines coming soon to the U.S.
* See the technical specs of the 2.5MW turbine

Kim Rounds

Will we see more wind farms like this in Illinois? I think this is a great idea!
Marcel Karallus

This is a great milestone to become the worlds leadingship in windbusiness.
earl austin

i have land in reaserch triangle in north carolina, i would like to supply my own wind engery source for my home and try to help others aswell.can i buy one, and how much.
Randy

845 MW farm is just the installed capacity. I would like to see the actual average output. And if they are truly proud of there wind farm and they are going to gloat about it, then they should upload graphs updated multiple times an hour like EirGrid does. 845MW installed capacity wont set off the 845 MW coal plant either. If it is like a lot of wind farms it will me about 33% installed capacity. Or an average of about 280MW. If they say it generates more, I would love to see the graphs.

Link to EirGrid’s wind generation:
http://www.eirgrid.com/operations/systemperformancedata/windgeneration/
(Ireland is a European country so the time will be off by 5-8 hours, if your in the US)
Randy

And 1.4 billion could buy a 1GW nuclear power plant, another billion would make it 2GW. So why not invest in nuclear? A lot less resources would go into building 2 nuclear reactors than all the windmills it would take to generate the same amount of power and you don’t have to have backup encase the wind stops blowing. Everyone thinks that nuclear is to expensive while wind is even more expensive.
RH

No, no nuclear plant is going to cost that little amount, and my friends and I can build far more wind farms on line by the time 1 Nuke Plant comes online.. By the time any nuclear plant is built it comes out to around 5 to 6 Billion per 1000MW. It is actually almost double the cost of wind when you look at reality.

I am not saying that Nuclear Power can never be used, but it is simply the most expensive way to boil water that has ever been devised. It is NOT cost effective!

Just ask bankrupt LILCO about their great Nuclear Venture that never produced 1 kilowatt of electricity.

Long Island Lighting Company is NO MORE due to its mistaken entry into Nuclear Power. 6 Billion for an 820 Megawatt Nuclear facility that NEVER produced a Single kilowatt of Commercially sold power!

Stop keeping your head in the sand and stop being a follower of the false Propaganda of Nuclear.

LILCO’s debacle also cost the taxpayers far more as the State of New York eventually had to take over the safety hazard plant. It had no concrete evac plan and thus was a failure from the beginning.

Think dear Brothers and Sisters!

Think