Greentech Lead America: E.ON Climate & Renewables
(EC&R) North America has announced its first wind farm in
Indiana.
The Wildcat I Wind Farm is located
in Tipton and Madison counties. One hundred twelve Vestas
1.8 megawatt turbines provide more than 200 megawatts (MW) of power – nough to
generate clean power to more than 60,000 households in the Midwest.
Under a 20-year Power Purchase agreement, Indiana
Michigan Power (I&M), an operating company of American Electric Power, will
purchase 100 MW of wind power from the wind farm.
“We are honored to be a part of the local community, and
we look forward to providing economic support and renewable, homegrown energy
for many years to come,” said Steve Trenholm, CEO, EC&R North
America. “Wind farms create jobs, and provide an economic shot in the arm
to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities across America.”
White Construction is currently leading the assembly of
the project, which will be complete by the end of the year.
More than 200 people have been hired during construction
and the project will employ approximately 10 permanent positions on the wind
farm in Tipton and Madison counties.
EC&R has invested more than $4 billion
dollars in the U.S. in the last four years, creating more than 4,000
construction jobs and another 200 permanent jobs to keep its wind farms up and
running.
Overall, the wind industry has invested more
than $60 billion in providing 35 percent of the of all the new
generating capacity in the U.S. in the last four years and employs more than
75,000 people, including 30,000 in good American jobs in the manufacturing
sector from coast to coast.
When operational, this project will mark the 17th
operational wind farm in North America for EC&R, giving the
company more than 2,500 MW online.