Courtesy photo A view from the air of the completed Spearville wind farm and its 67 turbines includes Main Street and St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in the foreground.

SPEARVILLE: The twinkling red lights of the Spearville Wind Farm look like a Christmas display at night, but Kansas City Power & Light isnÕt waiting until Christmas to celebrate.

The company has invited the entire community of Spearville to attend a picnic to celebrate the completion of the new Spearville Wind Energy Facility.

"This is a celebration for the whole community," explained Phil Duncan, project director for Kansas City Power & Light.

"We want to take this opportunity to thank our Spearville neighbors," said Duncan, who has visited Spearville nearly every week for the past several months overseeing construction of the 67 turbines.

The picnic will be held from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday at Greenstreet Park in Spearville, featuring food provided by Outlaw Barbeque, music from the KCP&L band, the Blackouts, and several activities for children.

"We expect Great Plains Energy CEO Mike Chesser and Kansas City Power & Light president Bill Downey to attend and speak a few words," Duncan said.

Duncan also reported that construction of an operational maintenance building behind the sub-station of the wind farm has been completed.

"JAG Construction of Dodge City put the building up for us, and furniture will be brought in this week," Duncan said.

Kansas City Power & Light has hired enXco to operate and maintain the wind farm, which will generate enough electricity to power 33,000 homes. Kansas City Power & Light will sell the power to Sprint Nextel for its Overland Park corporate campus near Kansas City, however.

"EnXco has a two-year contract, and some of the seven employees hired to do the maintenance have been locals, which is good for the Spearville community," Duncan said.

"General Electric also has sent five or so people to Spearville to do the warranty work for two years," he added. "Some days you may see some turbines that are down, but that means they are undergoing maintenance."

The picnic will feature caricature artists, face painting and an inflatable moonwalk for children.