Oklahoma's Grand River Dam Authority Boosts Wind-Produced Power Portfolio

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Oklahoma's Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) (Vinita, Oklahoma) has signed power purchase agreements (PPA) for three wind power projects. This is part of a GRDA plan to increase its renewable power portfolio. GRDA's percentage of power generated from wind will increase from 3% in 2012 to 15% by 2015.

Wind power is growing in Oklahoma. The state is seeing more than a dozen new wind power projects in early development. This article highlights the projects with GRDA's PPAs and the companies developing them.

GRDA Teams Up with Apex Clean Energy, TradeWind Energy and NextEra Energy Resources
Apex Clean Energy (Charlottesville, Virginia) has three major wind power projects in its Oklahoma development portfolio that are being tracked by Industrial Info. The Kingfisher, Kay and Balko wind projects will generate up to 300 megawatts (MW) each. The Kay project already has sold 100 MW of its output in a renewable energy purchase agreement with GRDA.

Earlier this month, GRDA Chief Executive Officer/Director of Investments Dan Sullivan said: "We're excited about the opportunity to add more renewable energy to our portfolio. Additional wind power is a key point in our long-term generation plan, and this agreement allows us to use Oklahoma wind to generate long-term benefits for Oklahoma ratepayers. Oklahoma wind provides a greater balance and diversity in the generation portfolio, and can equal lower costs."

In March, GRDA announced a 20-year PPA with TradeWind Energy LLC (Lenexa, Kansas) for the Mustang Run windfarm. The PPA accounts for all of Mustang Run's 136 MW.

"Oklahoma has an outstanding natural resource in wind, but what sets it apart for development is the state's commitment to encouraging wind energy in a way that creates jobs and spurs investment in local communities," said Sanjay Bhasin, TradeWind's senior vice president for business development.

Construction of the Mustang Run Windfarm is scheduled to begin in April next year, with completion planned for the end of 2015. The 98-MW Breckenridge windfarm also has a PPA signed with GRDA and is running on a very similar construction and completion timeline. The Breckinridge windfarm was owned by TradeWind Energy until August, when it was acquired by NextEra Energy Resources LLC (Juno Beach, Florida).

View Project Report - 300089059 300141993 300171997 300037106 300159746

Hydro Pumped Storage Also Part of the GRDA Picture
The wind power projects do not account for all of GRDA's plans. The company is planning a turbine refurbishment at the Salina pumped-storage hydro power station. This project intends to refurbish six 48-MW, 1968-71 vintage Allis Chalmers (Voith) hydro-reversible pump turbines. The refurbishment will improve plant reliability, efficiency and extend plant service life. As noted in a recent article, hydro-pumped storage is increasingly seen as an effective component of energy storage in the renewable power sector.

GRDA also is considering converting the fuel source for Unit 1 of its Grand River Energy Center from coal to natural gas. In addition, the GRDA is now in the preliminary engineering phase of a combined-cycle addition at the same site. The addition will be a 1-on-1 configuration, consisting of a 327-MW Mitsubishi M501J-Series natural gas-fired combustion turbine with a heat recovery steam generator and a 168-MW Mitsubishi SRT-50 steam turbine generator.

View Project Report - 300094332 300156141 8001110

For more information, see September 17, 2014, article - Hydro-Pumped Storage May Lead the Way for New Renewable Power Generation in Kentucky.

Customers should consult the Industrial Info Power Project Database for more information on all new generation projects in Oklahoma, as well as maintenance projects, refurbishments, environmental projects and modernizations.

If your company is developing a power project that you feel deserves some extra attention feel free to contact Brock Ramey, North American Power Research Manager at Industrial Info.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, three offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.