Conservative lawmakers, an oil investor and other activists did all they could to stop a wind project in rural Texas, even as the state has increasingly embraced renewable energy. Earlier this year, a Canadian energy producer was poised to build two large wind farms in Clay County, a mostly featureless stretch of plains at the Texas-Oklahoma line. The 300-megawatt project would have bolstered Texas’ growing portfolio of renewable energy, which last year supplied a record 17 percent of the state’s electricity. But then anti-wind farm activists led by John Greer, a Dallas oil investor, swooped into the farming and ranching community to attack the deal.

General Texas

A Mitchell County family of five is temporarily out of a home because of an out of control wind turbine. ...The company put the family up in a hotel, but has not been able to say how soon they can go home. The failed turbine was part of Third Planet Windpower's Loraine wind facility placed in service in two phases in 2010 and 2011. The facility consistes of 67 GE 1.5sle turbines (phase 1) and 100 GE 1.5xle turbines (phase 2) for a total nameplate capacity of 250.5 MW.  The approximate coordinates of the incident are: 32.408429N,  100.685522W

Safety Structural Failure Texas

“There was a large group of landowners here in Val Verde that are concerned about the impacts of that and their respective property rights. This is a very strong state for private property rights, and we belong to that line of thinking, and we believe we can do whatever we can on our individual properties, as long as it doesn’t harm our neighbors,” he added.

Impact on Landscape Impact on People Texas

If we needed any reminder why Texas outpaces Louisiana in so many ways, witness how the Lone Star State last week mooted a bad decision by the Louisiana Public Service Commission made in part by northwest Louisiana’s Foster Campbell.

Energy Policy Louisiana Texas

CLAY COUNTY — On a sweltering weekday in mid-July, it takes a dozen good cowboys on the historic Sanzenbacher Ranch to get the round-up done.

General Texas

The appraisal district’s board met to discuss its options regarding a recent decision by the appraisal review board to lower the appraised value of a wind farm in central Val Verde County. The decision by the review board represented a loss of nearly $400,000 in expected revenue for Val Verde County.

Taxes & Subsidies Texas

A decision to lower the appraised value of a Val Verde County wind farm will be appealed through a lawsuit to be filed in state district court here, members of the Val Verde County Appraisal District Board of Directors decided Friday.

Taxes & Subsidies Texas

Company remains focused on 5-7 percent earnings growth through investments to improve service for customers COLUMBUS, Ohio – American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) is canceling the Wind Catcher project as a result of the Public Utility Commission of Texas’ July 26 decision to deny approval of the project. The project had been approved by the Arkansas Public Service Commission, Louisiana Public Service Commission and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. A decision was pending at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

General Oklahoma Texas

Texas dealt a potential death blow to what would be the largest-ever U.S. wind farm: American Electric Power Co.’s $4.5 billion Wind Catcher project. ...“The costs are known,” DeAnn Walker, chairman of the Texas commission, said Thursday at a hearing. “But the benefits are based on a lot of assumptions that are questionable.”

Taxes & Subsidies Legal Oklahoma Texas

AEP's plan to build the largest wind farm in the United States might have been dealt a fatal blow. The Public Utility Commission of Texas voted Thursday to reject the proposed 2,000-megawatt Wind Catcher wind farm, stating that as it is structured now, the project doesn't offer clear enough benefits for rate payers.

Taxes & Subsidies Transmission Oklahoma Texas

There’s a growing body of research that highlights the negative effects of tax abatements granted for renewable energy under Texas Tax Code Chapter 312 and 313. Among the effects are the harm to the reliability of the electric grid, the hidden cost to Texans via taxes, and the unfortunate experiences of those who live next to large wind farms.

Taxes & Subsidies Texas

AEP's original schedule called for the need to order the longest-lead-time equipment by Aug. 6. Through some negotiations, it has been able to delay those orders until the end of August, but the company can't afford to delay much longer, AEP CFO Brian Tierney told investors. It needs to make its timetables in order for developer Invenergy LLC to complete the wind farm by 2020.

General Oklahoma Texas

A request to approve a reinvestment zone and an abatement for Peyton Creek Wind Farm was tabled after a lengthy public hearing at the Matagorda County Commissioners Court regular meeting Monday, July 16.

Taxes & Subsidies Texas

The 2,000 MW Wind Catcher Energy Connection project proposed by SWEPCO, a subsidiary of American Electric Power, came under scrutiny from the PUCT earlier this week as the regulators questioned the prudence of putting such a large investment on ratepayers, particularly with the inclusion of a $1.6 billion transmission line to move the energy from the wind farm.

General Oklahoma Texas

Opposition to wind farms in Texas is escalating as more projects are proposed close to where people live. More and more Texans find that giant turbines aren’t good neighbors. Now, no one is trying to eliminate renewable energy. What we – and many of your neighbors – are calling for is an honest discussion about the true costs of subsidizing wind energy.

Impact on Landscape Impact on People Texas

Regulators threw a wrench in American Electric Power’s massive Wind Catcher Energy Connection on Thursday, expressing concerns over whether the company will protect ratepayers from the project’s risks. ...“I’m going to be upfront with you,” [Public Utility Commission Chair DeAnn] Walker said ...“At this point, I can’t approve the [project].” Walker said she would need additional consumer protections from SWEPCO, which would own 70% of the $4.5 billion project.

General Oklahoma Texas

Taxes & Subsidies Texas

A Canadian renewable energy company has canceled a pair of wind projects near Wichita Falls after a Air Force training base said the project would interfere with its pilot training and radar systems.

General Texas

Renewable energy developer, Innergex, will not be building wind farms near Sheppard Air Force Base ...[wind energy development] continues to be an ongoing issue in Texas and Oklahoma. In fact, Sheppard Air Force Base has already lost three low-level training routes in Oklahoma due to wind turbines.

Safety Oklahoma Texas

A Canadian-based wind industry operator has pulled out of a potential fight with the Air Force over locating a proposed wind farm near the Sheppard Air Force base in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Safety Texas