Phase I of Blue Canyon Wind Farm began commercial operations at the end of December 2003 and construction of Phase II completed in December 2005. Along the rugged Slick Hills terrain, 129 Vestas turbines distinguish the area resulting in a forward-thinking marriage of human ingenuity and nature's forceful beauty, a combination designed to produce long-term environmental benefits. Oklahoma's strong winds, harnessed on behalf of clean electricity generation, have become something for Sooners to praise rather than curse- this windiness is no dust bowl, but instead represents an economic and environmental boon for the state. Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin, at the Western Farmers Electric Cooperative's WindWorks Celebration held on September 30, 2003, lauded the wind farm, calling it “a valuable resource giving men and women work, income, and energy for future generations to enjoy.”
Horizon is now actively developing potential additional phases of Blue Canyon.
Western Farmers Electric Cooperative purchases the power from 74 MW of the project and AEP/PSO purchases the remaining 151 MW of power.
The operations and maintenance building houses a high-tech SCADA (Supervisory Control and Acquisition Data) system to monitor the wind turbines around the clock. Horizon has taken care to construct the building with green materials and an aesthetic based on local architecture. The operations and maintenance building blends in with its surroundings, looking like other Southwestern Oklahoma ranch houses. For example, rock from a neighbor's property was used for the outside walls, and the landscape concepted with native range plants.
Project Fact and Figures
Location: Caddo and Comanche County
Acreage: 12,960 acres
Construction Completion Dates:
Phase I: December, 2003
Phase II: December, 2005
Project Size: 225 megawatts
Turbines:
Phase I: 225 V82 Vesta turbines, with a rated capacity of 1.65 megawatts each
Phase II: 84 V80 Vesta turbines, with a rated capacity of 1.8 megawatts each
Operations and Maintenance Building at Blue Canyon Wind Farm.
Why Southwestern Oklahoma?
Southwestern Oklahoma has long been known for its vigorous wind resource. The Blue Canyon Wind Farm is located on a geological feature known as the Slick Hills. The hills rise above the surrounding plains, 300 feet in less than two and a half miles. The east-west orientation of the Slick Hills places them directly perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction. Other factors include:
• A strong, proven wind resource.
• Access to transmission lines.
• Compatibility with existing land uses.
• Proximity to power markets.
• A receptive community.
Environmental Benefits
The Blue Canyon Wind Farm emits zero pollutants and greenhouse gases and produces enough energy to power 67,000 average American homes. By providing carbon-free electricity, Blue Canyon has an environmental effect equivalent to removing more than 60,000 cars from the road. On average, this amount of power in Oklahoma causes the emission of 1,890,000 pounds of NOx, 2,400,000 pounds of SO2, 32,000 pounds of mercury, and nearly 600,000 tons of CO2.
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