Wind energy in Texas: RES Americas finalises 110-MW wind farm with Vestas wind turbines

Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES Americas), a leader in the development, engineering, and construction of wind energy, solar power, transmission, and energy storage projects in North America, is pleased to announce commercial operation of the Keechi Wind Project in Jack County, Texas.

 

Construction of the 110 megawatt (MW) Keechi Wind Project commenced in December 2013 and commercial operation began on January 23, 2015. Consisting of 55 Vestas V100-2.0 MW wind turbines, the project created nearly 250 jobs during the peak of construction and nine permanent operations and maintenance jobs. Keechi Wind Project was completed with only one recordable injury accident in over 300,000 manhours worked, with a Total Recordable Incidence Rate (TRIR) of 0.65. The project will continue to contribute to the local economy in multiple ways, including through a local tax abatement agreement.

“The successful completion of the Keechi wind project included RES Americas self-performing the installation of 55 wind turbines,” said Andrew Fowler, Chief Operating Officer of RES Americas. “It was also extremely important to us to work closely with the local community in sourcing labor and materials to construct the project.”

Keechi Wind was developed by RES Americas and constructed under a fixed-price, engineering, procurement, and construction agreement and was RES Americas’ first project in which it self-performed the turbine installation, positioning the company for further expansion in that space. The project, which is owned by Enbridge, connects to Brazos Electric’s Joplin substation via a 12-mile generation tie line.

Vestas will provide turbine operations and maintenance services for the first five years of the project.

The Keechi Wind Project will deliver electricity into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) market, under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Microsoft Corporation.

Since 1997, RES Americas has been providing development, engineering, construction, and operations services to the utility-scale wind, solar, transmission, and energy storage markets across the Americas. The company employs more than 300 full-time professionals and has over 7,700 MW of utility-scale renewable energy and energy storage projects and constructed more than 534 miles of transmissions lines. RES Americas’ corporate office is located in Broomfield, CO with regional offices located in Austin, TX, Minneapolis, MN, and San Francisco, CA. RES Americas is part of the RES Group, a leading international renewable energy developer. RES Group currently has more than 1,200 MW of wind and solar power under construction throughout the world.