Enid hopes to captialize on wind energy
Enid News and Eagle |Robert Barron|May 4, 2010
A vote by Southwest Power Pool last week may have positioned Enid to become a player in the wind energy production industry. Southwest Power Pool's advisory committee, acting on a motion by Oklahoma Corporation Commission vice chairman Jeff Cloud, voted to support a package of six new transmission projects, four of which will be located in Oklahoma.
A vote by Southwest Power Pool last week may have positioned Enid to become a player in the wind energy production industry. Southwest Power Pool's advisory committee, acting on a motion by Oklahoma Corporation Commission vice chairman Jeff Cloud, voted to support a package of six new transmission projects, four of which will be located in Oklahoma.
ENID - A vote by Southwest Power Pool last week may have positioned Enid to become a player in the wind energy production industry.
Southwest Power Pool's advisory committee, acting on a motion by Oklahoma Corporation Commission vice chairman Jeff Cloud, voted to support a package of six new transmission projects, four of which will be located in Oklahoma. The entire package is projected to lead to an investment of more than $1 billion with about $350 million of that in Oklahoma, according to a release by Southwest Power Pool.
It must first be approved by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to allocate the costs of the highest voltage projects across the SPP region, based on projected benefits derived across the region, said Brent …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]ENID - A vote by Southwest Power Pool last week may have positioned Enid to become a player in the wind energy production industry.
Southwest Power Pool's advisory committee, acting on a motion by Oklahoma Corporation Commission vice chairman Jeff Cloud, voted to support a package of six new transmission projects, four of which will be located in Oklahoma. The entire package is projected to lead to an investment of more than $1 billion with about $350 million of that in Oklahoma, according to a release by Southwest Power Pool.
It must first be approved by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to allocate the costs of the highest voltage projects across the SPP region, based on projected benefits derived across the region, said Brent Kisling, executive director of Greater Enid Development Alliance.
"We've been working with the Southwest Power Pool for several years to get a high voltage transmission line between Woodward and Enid and between Woodward and Hitchland, near Guymon," Kisling said. "That will allow more wind development in the Panhandle and northwest Oklahoma and it closes a loop in that area of the country that will allow for more capacity for wind turbines."
Among the projects considered are a double-circuit 345 thousand volt line from Comanche County, Kan., to Woodward. That project is estimated at $108 million.
Another project is a double-circuit 345 thousand volt line from Woodward to Hitchland, Texas, estimated at $247 million.
That would allow more focus on manufacturing in the Enid area. The new construction will create hundreds of more turbines to build, and Kisling said Enid is an important location for those manufacturers.
"It's a manufacturing issue for us," he said.
Supporters thought the measure would be approved at the January meeting, but it was delayed until April.
Southwest Power Pool is the governing body that decides where transmission lines will be built in the region. Enid is in the southern part of the power pool, which extends as far north as Nebraska. The next step will be up to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which could make a decision in 60 to 90 days.
"This was the biggest hurdle to get over. Curt Roggow worked hard on it and Jeff Cloud worked hard on it and the Legislature worked on it," Kisling said. "It's a huge issue to allow more wind development in northwest Oklahoma. We're really trying to make Woodward an energy hub."