OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
Just one year after launching its wind power program, nearly 9,000 OG&E Electric Services customers have subscribed. About one-third of the subscribers have 100 percent of their electricity generated by wind, making OG&E's program one of the leaders in the United States.
"Our customers told us they wanted a renewable energy program, and they have responded in bold fashion," said Brian Alford, OG&E spokesman. "Their desire to participate in a zero-emission energy program, coupled with an effective education plan, has made OG&E's program a nationally recognized success story."
Oklahoma is rated the eighth-best wind resource in the nation, and OG&E is recognized as operating one of the lowest customer cost programs.
OG&E introduced its wind power campaign last year at the State Fair of Oklahoma. Thousands of customers flocked to the OG&E booth to get information, while hundreds signed up to have part or all of their electricity generated by wind. Also during that time, OG&E initiated its interactive wind power Web site, which allows customers to subscribe online. In addition, customers can enter various wind power amounts, as low as 100 kilowatts (kWh) into a calculator to learn the equivalent environmental benefit of planting trees.
"Our education efforts have been extremely successful in raising public awareness about wind power," Alford said. "We've provided brochures to customers, advertised on television, radio and print, and at public events. We also have met a high demand for presentations to various clubs and organizations."
Alford said the company has made special efforts to educate children about wind power. "We have produced a renewable energy workbook for elementary school students," he said. "It's available to teachers in the OG&E service area through our 2004-2005 Educational Materials Film and Video Resource Guide." Teachers can obtain a copy of the guide by contacting the OG&E community relations coordinator in their area or by calling customer service at 272-1010 for Oklahoma City or (800) 522-0280, all others.
OG&E wind power subscribers vary from individual residential customers to large corporations. Some include the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, the Methodist Church and large corporations like Hitachi.
Denise Bode, chairman of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, was the first residential customer to sign up for wind power.
"I am pleased that Oklahoma has a renewable energy source as part of its fuel mix," said Bode. "It demonstrates Oklahoma's commitment to the environment."
OG&E purchases power from 34 wind turbines located at the Oklahoma Wind Energy Center located about 10 miles north of Woodward off state Highway 34. Each turbine stands 212 feet, and is the height of a 17-story building. Florida-based FPL Energy owns and operates the turbines, which generate 50 megawatts of wind power for OG&E -- enough to supply electricity to about 15,000 homes.
"The wind farms have been great for the economy," said Doris Ames, manager of the Northwest Inn, located in Woodward and an OG&E wind power subscriber. "During construction of the wind farm, we were very busy and since the completion of the farm, we've had a number of people out here. We're also working on the tourism aspect of the farm and in getting people out here to see it."
The wind farm also has economical benefits to Oklahoma especially to the city of Woodward. So far, OG&E has paid more than $307,000 in taxes for schools and other services in the Woodward area.
For details on OG&E's wind power program, or to sign up, customers should call OG&E at 272-1010 in the Oklahoma City area or (800) 522-0280 statewide, or visit its Web site at http://www.oge.com .
OG&E is Oklahoma's largest utility, serving approximately 730,000 customers in a service territory spanning 30,000 square miles in Oklahoma and western Arkansas. OG&E is a subsidiary of Oklahoma City-based OGE Energy Corp. (NYSE: OGE), which also is the parent company of Enogex Inc., a natural gas pipeline business with principal operations in Oklahoma and Arkansas.
For far more extensive news on the energy/power visit: http://www.energycentral.com .
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