Two area wind farms have turbines turning (Kennedy Co., Gulf Coast TX)

[jpak]

http://www.caller.com/news/2009/jan/05/wind_farms/

Turbines at two new wind farms in Kenedy County have begun spinning, but it likely will be several more months before all 200 of them are operating, a spokeswoman for the two companies said.

When fully operational, Babcock and Brown's Gulf Winds wind farm and Iberdrola Renewables' Peñascal wind farm are expected to generate a combined 285 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 100,000 homes. The farms began generating power for the state's electric grid in November, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

Australian-based Babcock and Brown's $700 million project will have 118 turbines for an annual maximum output expected to be 283.2 megawatts, enough to power more than 72,000 homes. Iberdrola's $400 million wind farm will have about 84 turbines, each capable of generating 2.4 megawatts a year for a total output of about 202 megawatts, enough to power 40,000 average homes.

Officials with both companies have said they are not sure when all turbines will be operating. However, ERCOT says all of Gulf Winds' turbines are expected to be online by September 2010.

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