Tuesday, December 6, 2011

PA's Largest Wind Farm Moves Foward & Contributes To Lower Electricity Prices

From its modern birth in 2000, wind power keeps growing in Pennsylvania, and next year will see at least one truly large wind farm.

Everpower is moving forward with what will be the largest wind farm in Pennsylvania when it is constructed in 2012. The 150 megawatt Twin Ridges wind farm in Somerset County will produce enough power for approximately 45,000 homes and will set a new size record for the more than 20 wind farms that will be operating in Pennsylvania by the end of 2012.

Everpower has already built 2 wind farms in Pennsylvania and will build Twin Ridges and one other in 2012 for a total capacity of more than 300 megawatts.  Its total investment in the Commonwealth will exceed $700 million or approximately the equivalent of 175 Marcellus Shale wells.

Most of Pennsylvania's wind farms are below 75 megawatts each, with the very first wind farms built in 2000 and 2001 typically between 10 to 20 megawatts. The single Everpower 150 megawatt Twin Ridges wind farm will be about equal to all the wind power that was built in Pennsylvania until about 2004.
Total wind power capacity in Pennsylvania will go beyond 1,000 megawatts and reach nearly 1,500 megawatts by the end of 2012 or enough power for about 450,000 homes. 

The Pennsylvania wind industry is big, growing, and creating thousands of jobs through lease payments, operations, and the supply chain.  As just one example, Everpower has moved its headquarters to Pittsburgh, where it employs over 30.

 The substantial new electricity supply from wind--again soon to be 1500 megawatts just in Pennsylvania-- is also good for all electricity consumers, since electricity prices are set in the competitive market where supply and demand dictate price.  More electricity supply means lower electricity prices. 

You can partially thank the booming wind industry in Pennsylvania and the regional grid, as well as low natural gas prices, energy efficiency, and demand response, for today's reasonable electricity prices.

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