Mesa Power Places World's Largest Single-Site
Wind Turbine Purchase Order
DALLAS, May 15 /PRNewswire/
Mesa Power LLP, a company created by legendary energy executive T. Boone
Pickens, has placed an order with General Electric to purchase 667 wind
turbines capable of generating 1,000 megawatts of electricity, enough to
power more than 300,000 average U.S. homes.
The agreement represents the first phase of the four-phase Pampa Wind
Project that will become the world's largest wind energy project, with more
than 4,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for 1.3 million homes. When all
phases of the project are completed as projected in 2014, the wind farm will
be five times as big as the nation's current largest wind power project, now
producing 736 megawatts.
Pickens said he expects that first phase of the project will cost about $2
billion, and that electricity from the project will be on- line by early
2011. When complete, the Pampa Wind Project will cover some 400,000 acres in
the Texas Panhandle.
"T. Boone Pickens' commitment underscores the ability of wind technology to
help meet the country's need for diverse sources of energy," said Jeffrey R.
Immelt, GE Chairman and CEO. "As America's demand for energy escalates, it
is clear that wind can and will play a bigger part in meeting that need.
We're excited to partner with an energy visionary like T. Boone Pickens to
bring our wind technology to the marketplace."
GE is to deliver the 1.5-megawatt wind turbines in 2010 and 2011. The GE
1.5-megawatt turbines are among the most widely used wind turbines in their
class.
In August of 2007, Mesa Power filed documents with the Electric Reliability
Council of Texas (ERCOT) to add the 4,000 megawatts of wind-generated
electricity to the power grid in Texas. ERCOT, which operates as part of the
Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC), manages the state's power grid. Mesa
Power has nominated its wind turbine output to be delivered by Texas'
Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) transmission lines. The CREZ
transmission lines will benefit Texas electric users by delivering them cost
effective and reliable electricity generated by renewable energy power
projects.
Based on extensive testing, Pickens said the project area has some of the
best wind in the nation. He is also pleased that landowners have been so
supportive of the project.
"We have had a great response to this project," Pickens said. "We are making
Pampa the wind capital of the world. It's clear that landowners and local
officials understand the economic benefits that this renewable energy can
bring not only to landowners who are involved with the project, but also in
revitalizing an area that has struggled in recent years."
Pickens envisions that large scale renewable energy projects like his Pampa
Wind Project will permit the United States to become less dependent on
foreign oil. Large scale renewable energy projects such as this are
difficult to execute because they rely upon the Federal Production Tax
Credit, which provides incentives for development of renewable energy.
However, large scale renewable energy projects require commitments years in
advance, while Congress has only extended the Production Tax Credit one or
two years at a time.
Mesa Power is hopeful that the Pampa Wind Project will qualify for the
Federal Production Tax Credits in 2010 and 2011 when the project will begin
commercial operations. "I believe that Congress will recognize that it is
critical not only to this project, but to renewable energy in this country,
that they enact a long-term extension of the Production Tax Credits,"
Pickens said.
"The development of alternative energy projects, especially renewable
resources such as wind power, is critical for the future of the country in
the face of declining world oil resources," he said.
"You find an oilfield, it peaks and starts declining, and you've got to find
another one to replace it," said Pickens, who once operated one of the
largest independent oil and gas production companies. "It can drive you
crazy. With wind, there's no decline curve."
The Panhandle, with its wide-open space, low population and steady winds, is
a logical location for wind-generated energy. Studies show the Texas
Panhandle winds are optimal for such a project, blowing much of the time in
the middle of the day when electric demand is at its peak.
Mesa Power has leased land in Carson, Gray, Hemphill, Roberts and Wheeler
counties, where the landowners will receive annual royalties for the wind
turbines operating on their property.
Development of the region's wind resources will also create an economic
bonus similar to the boom the three largest wind farms in America have
created around Sweetwater in Nolan County. While other towns in West Texas
struggle with plummeting house prices and job losses, Sweetwater is in the
midst of a construction explosion. Two new companies opened in the past
month, one servicing the blades of the county's 2,000 turbines, another
renting out cranes used in erecting new turbines. Tax revenues from the wind
energy companies are bringing jobs, new roads and houses, and renovating
local schools and hospitals there.
An Austin-based Resource Inc. economic impact study, commissioned by Mesa
Power, projects that the Mesa Power wind farm will bring significant
increases in jobs and income for the five counties of the project investment
zone (Carson, Gray, Hemphill, Roberts and Wheeler counties).
The study forecast the project would generate an estimated 1,500 jobs during
the construction phase, and 720 during a typical year of the operation
phase; personal income in the project investment zone will rise by $68.7
million per year during the construction phase, and $120 million during the
operation phase. The more significant impact during the operation phase is
largely due to lease payments to be made to landowners in the project area
amounting to $65.3 million per year.
Resource Economics estimates that the total value of economic output in the
region due to the project will be $380 million per year during the
construction phase and $1.6 billion per year during the operation period,
and additions to the tax rolls of school districts in the project investment
zone will amount to $2.4 billion by 2018, assuming the school districts
approve an application to limit appraisal values during the project's first
10 years.
Unicredit served as financial adviser and Vinson & Elkins as counsel to Mesa
Power in the transaction.
SOURCE Mesa Power LLP
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