Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative, a not-for-profit generation and transmission electric cooperative, has entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Exelon Generation (Exelon), a power generator firm, for 153 megawatts (MW) of new wind generation in Michigan’s Thumb region.
The wind power will be supplied from the Michigan Wind 3 project, which will be located in Sanilac County, Michigan. Exelon is scheduled to begin construction on the project in spring 2016 and begin commercial operation by December 2016.
When Michigan Wind 3 is complete, Wolverine expects to have more than 350 MW of wind generation in its portfolio, meaning Michigan cooperatives will achieve a 30 percent renewable level, company officials said.
Meanwhile the Michigan Wind 3 project will help Exelon to increase its fleet capacity in the state to more than 550 MW. Furthermore, Michigan Wind 3 is an investment in the future of the Sanilac County communities and will provide a boost to local economies through jobs, taxes and community spending.
Exelon owns and operates 47 wind projects in ten states comprising 1,500 MW of generation. Six of those wind projects are located in Michigan and have a total capacity of more than 400 MW:  Beebe and Beebe 1B Renewable Energy wind projects in Ithaca; Harvest I and Harvest II wind projects in Elkton; Michigan Wind 1 project in Ubly; and Michigan Wind 2 project in Minden City. Exelon is the 12thlargest generator of wind energy in the United States.
Wolverine currently receives approximately 50 MW of wind energy from the Harvest Wind Farm located between Elkton and Pigeon, Michigan.
Wolverine will also receive 150 MW of wind energy from the new Deerfield Wind Energy project located in Huron County, Michigan, when it achieves commercial operation, scheduled for late 2016. The addition of the Michigan Wind 3 project will make Wolverine the renewable energy leader in Michigan.
Rajani Baburajan