Platte River Power Authority ("Platte River") and Invenergy Wind LLC (“Invenergy”) announce the commencement of commercial operations at Invenergy’s 32.5 MW Spring Canyon II Energy Center (Spring Canyon II) in northeast Colorado. Located near the Town of Peetz, approximately 130 miles northeast of Fort Collins, Spring Canyon II utilizes 19 General Electric (GE) 1.7-100 wind turbines.
Output from Spring Canyon II is sold to Platte River under a long-term agreement. In addition, Platte River will purchase 27.5 MW of wind power to be generated at the Spring Canyon III Energy Center (Spring Canyon III), which currently is under construction. Spring Canyon III will utilize 16 GE wind turbines and is scheduled to begin commercial operations by the end of this year.
Together, the Spring Canyon II and III phases will comprise the Spring Canyon Expansion Wind Energy Center (“Spring Canyon Expansion”). Spring Canyon Expansion is sited near Invenergy’s original Spring Canyon Energy facility, a 60 MW wind farm in operation since 2006.
“The purchase of additional wind energy from Spring Canyon II and III supports Platte River’s strategic initiative to further diversify our generation portfolio,” said Jackie Sargent, Platte River General Manager and CEO. "Together, the two projects will increase our wind energy supply to about 11 percent of the power consumed annually in our four owner municipalities. Including hydropower, the total portion of energy supplied to the municipalities from non-fossil resources will be approximately 30 percent. We have also issued a Request for Proposals for a solar facility at the Rawhide Energy Station.”
“Invenergy is pleased to continue to invest in Colorado with our newest power generation project in the state,” said Jim Shield, Invenergy’s Chief Development Officer. “We’re delighted to work with Platte River to create a new source of clean, homegrown energy that also generates jobs and tax revenue in the local area, and greatly appreciate the broad support for the project in our host community.”