Rocky Mountain Power plans major wind turbine expansion

• 7 years ago (2017-04-05)
• David Flin

North America 998 Wind 239

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Rocky Mountain Power of the USA has announced that it plans to build a $3.5 billion wind power generation and transmission project in southwestern Wyoming over the next three years. The 1100 MW facility will increase the utility’s total generation capacity by 10 per cent.

The project consists of construction of around 440 wind turbines, and a 140 mile transmission line to be built between the Jim Bridger power plant in southwestern Wyoming and Medicine Bow, Wyoming, connecting the wind farm to the company’s greater electrical network.

Currently, wind power represents 15 per cent of the utility’s total 10,900 MW capacity. Coal-fired power plants represent just under half – 45 per cent – of that capacity. If there are no other changes to the utility’s portfolio of energy sources, wind power will account for nearly one-quarter of Rocky Mountain Power’s generation capacity when the Wyoming project comes online, and coal-fired capacity will slip to 40 per cent.

David Eskelsen, spokesman for Rocky Mountain Power, said that although the company will not immediately need the additional wind capacity, it has chosen to build the project now to take advantage of US federal tax credits that only apply to wind projects built before 2020.

PacifiCorp operates as Rocky Mountain Power in the states of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, and as Pacific Power in Oregon, Washington, and California.

In addition to the new construction, Rocky Mountain Power plans to update its existing wind turbines with longer blades, modern generators, and other new technologies. The upgrades will increase each turbine’s production by about 20 per cent, and extend their projected life by a decade.