TVA Activates 300 Megawatts of Renewable Wind Power
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., May 11, 2010 /PRNewswire
Brisk winds across the Illinois plains are now blowing clean, renewable
energy into the Tennessee Valley Authority service region.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100304/TVALOGO)
On Tuesday, May 11, TVA began transmitting to its customers 300
megawatts of renewable wind power received from Iberdrola Renewables
Inc.'s Streator Cayuga Ridge wind park in Livingston County, Ill.
This marks the first delivery under seven contracts TVA recently
signed to purchase up to 1,380 megawatts of renewable wind energy from
the Midwest.
"Activation of this new wind-power source is an important milestone in
our plans to expand TVA's clean and renewable energy options," said John
Trawick, TVA senior vice president of Commercial Operations and Pricing.
"We anticipate a long and productive working relationship with Iberdrola
Renewables as we continue to grow our alternative energy portfolio."
The Iberdrola Renewables purchase agreement is the largest of TVA's
wind-power contracts, which altogether may provide enough electricity
for about 325,000 average-size homes in the TVA service region.
"Iberdrola Renewables will begin delivering power to TVA under our
largest single power purchase agreement to date," said Ralph Currey, CEO
of Iberdrola Renewables. "TVA is an important new customer for us, and
we look forward to supplying clean, renewable energy for years to come."
The next purchased wind addition to the TVA power grid will be 115
megawatts scheduled to arrive this fall from Horizon Wind Energy LLC's
Pioneer Prairie wind farm in Howard and Mitchell counties in Iowa.
Because inconsistent and generally lower-speed winds in the Southeast
make local wind-power projects less reliable and feasible than in other
parts of the nation, TVA is contracting for electricity from wind-energy
projects in regions such as the Midwest and Great Plains, where winds
are generally stronger and more consistent.
The contracts result from a request for proposals in December 2008 to
purchase up to 2,000 megawatts of new renewable or clean energy for
TVA's generating system. TVA's current renewable energy portfolio
includes about 4,800 megawatts from hydro, wind, solar and methane
sources. In addition, TVA's nuclear plants contribute 6,900 megawatts of
low-or-no-emission electricity to the power grid.
For more information on TVA wind power purchases, visit www.tva.gov/power/wind_purchases.htm.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, a corporation owned by the U.S.
government, provides electricity for utility and business customers in
most of Tennessee and parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia,
North Carolina and Virginia - an area of 80,000 square miles with a
population of 9 million. TVA operates 29 hydroelectric dams, 11
coal-fired power plants, three nuclear plants and 11 natural gas-fired
power facilities and supplies up to 36,000 megawatts of electricity,
delivered over 16,000 miles of high-voltage power lines. TVA also
provides flood control, navigation, land management and recreation for
the Tennessee River system and works with local utilities and state and
local governments to promote economic development across the region.
TVA, which makes no profits and receives no taxpayer money, is funded by
sales of electricity to its customers. Electricity prices in TVA's
service territory are below the national average.
SOURCE Tennessee Valley Authority
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