Wind Today - Q1 2008 - (Page 44)

Operations & Maintenance Director Ray Turner works with GE technicians operating the Centennial Wind Energy Project. Fort Supply, OK The Centennial Wind Energy Project is located about eight miles north of Fort Supply, OK. benefit. If OG&E owns the wind farm, however, they can not only offer a lower cost to ratepayers, but they can also provide dividends to shareholders. At the end of 2005, says Sheriff, OG&E submitted a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) requesting permission to purchase and own the Centennial Wind Energy Project. The OCC approved the request on April 28, 2006 in a 3-0 vote. OG&E’s manager of corporate communications, Gil Broyles, says the electric output from Centennial Wind Energy will be dedicated exclusively to OG&E’s customers for the life of the facility. Construction According to Broyles, Centennial Wind Energy was constructed under an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract between OG&E and Invenergy Wind Development. Mick Baird, Invenergy’s project coordinator, says Invenergy constructed the wind farm, and OG&E constructed the substation and transmission. When the OCC approved the project, OG&E began constructing 24 miles of transmission line and a substation. “We had to have the transmission line and substation ‘hot’ and on line by September 15, 2006,” says Sheriff. He explains that the new transmission line had to be functioning before the turbines could be commissioned. “That kind of turn-around is extremely fast,” he continues, “but we beat the deadline, getting done by Sept. 11.” While OG&E took care of the transmission lines and substation, in July, 2006, the balance of plant (BOP) contractor, D.H. Blattner and Sons, Avon, MN (320-356-7351), started constructing roads and foundations. System 3, Inc., Carmichael, CA (916979-0550), completed the collection system and interconnection engineering for the project. According to Baird, the only obstacle that occured during construction was a November wind storm that caused damage to a number of blades that were on the ground. The entire project was completed and operational by January, 2007. At that point, Invenergy sold the site to OG&E. Weather Mitch Hale, OG&E’s manager, community affairs, concurs that weather can be a challenge for Oklahoma wind farms. “Lightning can be an issue out here,” says Hale. GE Energy’s system control located in Schenectady, NY monitors the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) national weather service charts and notifies Centennial Wind Energy if lightning or severe weather is expected. “When lightning is 50 miles away, we consider it precautionary,” says Hale. “At 30 miles, we have mandatory tower evacuation.” Hale explains that when a storm is coming, GE technicians are notified by two-way radios and cell phones and are instructed to evacuate to public shelters in the towns of Buffalo or Fort Supply. “By this October, we’ll have our own concrete storm shelter built underground,” says Hale. Tornadoes pose another weather The Centennial Wind Energy site runs approximately 600 ft. east to west and ½ to ¾ mile north to south. 44 WIND TODA Y First Quarter 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Wind Today - Q1 2008

Wind Today - Q1 2008 Contents Windpower 2008 U.S. Energy Map Canada Energy Map Global Report Options and Expectations for O&M Service Providers O&M Safety Issues for Wind Farms Guanting Wind Farm to Power 2008 Olympics Operating Economics of Wind Farms Long-Term Operating Costs Post-Warranty Energy Bill Incentives May Have Another Chance Wind Gears: A Closer Look at the Drive Train Elk River Wind Farm Should Lightning Be A Concern For Wind Farms? Interview: Steve Sawyer Zephyr Powers Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort WT News: United States & Canada Interview: Willett Kempton Centennial Wind Energy WT Transmission: Southwest Power Pool EPA's Top 25 Wind Power Projects 2008 RPS Update Mark Scher, MSE Power Systems Richard Legault, Helimax Second Wind Henkels & McCoy NRG Systems Apterra Technologies, Inc. Wind Resource Maps: Michigan and New York Calendar Glossary Product Surveys Ad Index

Wind Today - Q1 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.