Sep 23 2010
Portland General Electric Company (PGE), a utility located in Oregon, has announced its intention to purchase an upcoming wind development project in the northern part of the state. The company is negotiating with Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc, which developed the Rock Creek Wind Farm in Gilliam County.
The company had earlier signed a purchase accord with RES America that expires at the end of the year 2010. For the purpose of saving the accord PGE is currently attempting to get necessary authorization from the regulators of the state without undergoing the mandatory process of calling for competitive bids by filing the signed terms of its initial contract accord with RES America. The company has sought for the waiver quoting that the present exclusive purchase accord signed with RES America would run out of time to complete such lengthy official processes. The proposed project is expected to be constructed on a leased land measuring approximately 68,000 acres and will produce 400 to 500 MW of clean energy. Though RES America is looking forward to start the construction of the project by the year 2013, the project is expected to commence in phases during 2014 or 2015.
Jim Lobdell, Vice President of the company’s power operations and resource strategy, stressed the need to develop more such green energy sources to meet the renewable energy standards set for the state. He has expressed his satisfaction about the preliminary accord reached with RES America and anticipates signing the final accord that best serves the interests of its clients. Currently a number of wind projects are coming up at Gilliam County which includes the Shepherds Flat Wind Farm, started with an investment of $2 billion that had earlier ran into problem with the military till the early part of 2011.