Capacity for Duke renewables unit nearly doubles in 2012

Boston (Platts)--14Jan2013/512 pm EST/2212 GMT

Duke Energy Renewables nearly doubled the amount of operational renewable capacity in 2012, adding 770 MW of wind capacity and 28.5 MW of solar capacity to give the company a total of more than 1,700 MW, the Duke Energy subsidiary said Monday.

The total for 2012 was up from from about 900 MW in 2011. In the year prior, Duke Energy Renewables -- formed in 2007 to develop independent renewable projects -- added 35 MW of solar capacity and no wind capacity, said spokeswoman Tammie McGee.

The latest additions to Duke Energy Renewables' portfolio are the Los Vientos I and II wind farms in South Texas's Willacy and Cameron counties. The wind farms, totaling 402 MW, came online in December.

Earlier in 2012, Duke's renewables subsidiary started up the 168-MW Ironwood wind farm in Ford County, Kansas; the 131-MW Cimarron II wind farm in Gray County, Kansas; and the 69-MW Lauren Hill wind farm in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.

In addition, Duke Energy Renewables started commercial operation of a 12.5-MW solar facility in Beaufort County, North Carolina, and two solar facilities totaling 16 MW in Arizona, McGee said.

--Housley Carr, newsdesk@platts.com --Edited by Valarie Jackson, valarie_jackson@platts.com

 

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