A report indicates at least one major wind industry company has dropped its membership in the Wind Coalition because of the claims of an Oklahoma legislator who alleges a tracking device put on his truck was put there by the wind industry.
Invenergy, the company behind the project to build the largest U.S wind farm in the Oklahoma Panhandle has confirmed it terminated its membership over the incident involving Rep. Mark McBride of Moore.
“Invenergy terminated its membership in The Wind Coalition last month when allegations surfaced in the media,” said the company’s communications director, Patrick Whitty in an email to The Oklahoman.
He admitted the company had no confirmation that the allegations made by Rep. McBride were true or not.
“This was a business decision to minimize unnecessary distraction during the Wind Catcher proceeding and as important decisions are being made about the future of wind energy in Oklahoma,” he told the paper.
The matter of the tracking device found on McBride’s truck remains under investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. But McBride maintains a private investigator in Austin, Texas was behind the incident.
The Wind Coalition, also headquartered in Austin has denied any connection to the incident.
Mark Yates, president of the Oklahoma Wind Coalition explained despite the move by Invenergy, the Coalition membership has increased in the first quarter of 2018 in the eight-state region.
“Membership investment and renewal is strong as wind industry-based companies, investors and manufacturers benefit from working together to expand the industry and encourage even more corporations to transition its operations to a renewable energy source,” he said.