US developer Invenergy proposes to install GE turbines at the 60MW Peak View wind farm in Colorado.
The wind farm will comprise 34 GE 1.7MW-100 units on 31,000 acres of leased land in Huerfano and Las Animas counties, about 30 miles south of Pueblo, said investor-owned utility Black Hills Energy.
Invenergy is developing the project under a build-transfer deal with Black Hills, according to regulatory filings.
The Chicago-based developer is responsible for construction and final commissioning, as well as securing eligibility for the federal production tax credit.
“Upon commercial operation of the plant, targeted for 15 November 2016, full ownership rights transfer from Invenergy to Black Hills at an all-in transfer price of $101,484,000,” said Black Hills.
A nine-mile 115kV radial tie-line will deliver power from the site’s collector substation to the point-of-interconnection at the existing Rattlesnake Butte substation.
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission recently authorized Black Hills to build and own the wind farm after the utility revised its proposal.
Regulators earlier this year rejected the utility’s plan to acquire additional renewable energy resources, saying it wasn’t cost effective and would be a burden to ratepayers.
Black Hills solicited new bids and filed a revised application that includes a more reasonable forecast of natural gas prices and potential customer savings, said the PUC. The revised proposal also substantially improves Black Hills’ ability to comply with the state’s renewable energy standard.
Construction of the Peak View project is expected to begin in January 2016.
Image: GE 2.85MW units (GE)
