Maverick wind farm now serving PSO customers

 

The second of three new wind facilities serving Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) customers has begun commercial operation.

Located southwest of Enid, the 287-megawatt (MW) Maverick facility is part of the 1,485-MW North Central Energy Facilities (NCEF) project.

“PSO customers expect clean, renewable energy to be a growing part of our energy portfolio, and we are listening,” said Peggy Simmons, PSO president and chief operating officer. “Wind generation has zero fuel costs. That savings and federal incentives offset the cost of the facilities. That means an anticipated net long-term savings of more than $1 billion for our customers over the expected 30-year life of the facilities.”

In addition to Maverick, the NCEF project includes the 199-MW Sundance wind farm, which began commercial operation on April 14, 2021, and the 999-MW Traverse wind farm, which is under construction with planned commercial operation in early 2022. In total, the facilities will generate enough energy to power 440,000 homes.

“Wind energy is clean and sustainable. These projects will help Oklahoma’s economic development future and save our customers’ money,” Simmons said.

PSO will receive 675 MW from the NCEF project. PSO’s sister company, Southwestern Electric Power Company, will receive 810 MW from the project.

The facilities are being developed by Invenergy and purchased by PSO and SWEPCO at completion. PSO and SWEPCO are American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) companies.

The Maverick facility includes 103 GE Renewable Energy wind turbines. It is connected directly to the transmission grid that serves PSO customers.

In addition to Sundance and Maverick, PSO’s diverse energy resource mix currently includes more than 1,100 MW of wind energy under power purchase agreements with facilities in Oklahoma.  Along with wind, solar and natural gas are the other key components that will help drive PSO’s clean energy future.

Source: PSO