Wind Energy

KCP&L will boost wind energy portfolio by 65 percent

The Kansas City-based electric utility signed a power purchase agreement for about 131 megawatts from the CPV Renewable Energy Co. LLC wind farm in Cimarron, Kan., on which construction is expected to begin in the fall. That’s a big boost to KCP&L’s current 200 MW wind power portfolio — which represents enough electricity to power more than 60,000 homes a year — through the Spearville Wind Energy Facilities and Gray County Wind Farm.

An estimated cost for the purchase agreement was not available. “In this region of the country, wind is an abundant renewable resource, and KCP&L wants to bring the benefits of that resource to its customers,” Kevin Bryant, KCP&L vice president of strategy and risk management, said in a release. “In addition, the clean electricity that will be generated at this new wind farm helps KCP&L in meeting current and future renewable energy requirements in Kansas and Missouri.”

The first 100 MW from the Cimarron wind farm are expected to come online for commercial use by June 2012, with the rest coming online by the end of that year. KCP&L will start buying power from the wind farm once wind turbines are operational. With the new wind farm, CPV will be installing a total of almost 300 MW of wind energy in Kansas.

www.kcpl.com/