Enel starts operating two new US wind farms becoming largest wind player in Oklahoma

Enel S.p.A., through its US-based renewables subsidiary Enel Green Power North America, Inc., started operations of the Thunder Ranch wind farm, which has a capacity of around 298 MW, and of the Red Dirt wind facility, which has a capacity of around 300 MW, both located in Oklahoma. As a result, EGPNA has become the largest wind player in the state, with more than 1,700 MW of managed capacity across 10 wind farms.

“We are extremely pleased about becoming the largest wind operator in the state of Oklahoma with the completion of both Thunder Ranch and Red Dirt,” said Antonio Cammisecra, Head of Enel’s Global Renewable Energies Division Enel Green Power. “This milestone is testament to our continued investment in the US energy market, which is strategic for Enel Green Power. We are growing our US footprint through traditional avenues such as organic development and small-scale acquisitions, boosted by more innovative and diversified solutions such as the ‘Build, Sell and Operate’ model and the sale of energy to corporate customers.”

The investment in the construction of Thunder Ranch totalled around 435 million US dollars, while the investment in the construction of Red Dirt was approximately 420 million US dollars. Both amounts are part of the investment outlined in Enel’s strategic plan.

The Thunder Ranch wind farm, located in Garfield, Kay and Noble counties, is able to generate more than 1,100 GWh annually. The plant will be the first of EGPNA’s wind farms to have an operational rooftop solar PV system that will power its operations and maintenance building with around 55 kWh per year. The rooftop system is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2018. Thunder Ranch is fully contracted with long-term agreements, including one power purchase agreement with Anheuser-Busch, the US subsidiary of leading beer corporation AB InBev, for a 152.5 MW portion of the wind farm.

The Red Dirt wind farm, located in Kingfisher and Logan Counties, is able to generate approximately 1,200 GWh each year. Red Dirt is supported by two long-term power purchase agreements, one with T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) for a 160 MW portion of the wind farm and another for the remaining 140 MW portion with the Grand River Dam Authority, which will sell the renewable energy to Google under a separate agreement between the two.

In Oklahoma, in addition to Thunder Ranch and Red Dirt, the company already manages the wind farms Rocky Ridge (150 MW), Chisholm View I & II (300 MW in total), Origin (150 MW), Osage Wind (150 MW), Little Elk (74 MW), Goodwell (200 MW) and Drift Sand (108 MW). The company’s overall investment in Oklahoma amounts to more than 2.7 billion US dollars since 2012.

EGPNA, part of the Renewable Energies division of the Enel Group, is a leading owner and operator of renewable energy plants in North America with projects operating and under development in 23 US states and two Canadian provinces. EGPNA operates around 100 plants with a managed capacity exceeding 4.2 GW powered by renewable hydropower, wind, geothermal and solar energy.

Enel Green Power, the renewable energies division of the Enel Group, is dedicated to the development and operation of renewables across the world, with a presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Enel Green Power is a global leader in the green energy sector with a managed capacity of around 40 GW across a generation mix that includes wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and hydropower, and is at the forefront of integrating innovative technologies into renewable power plants.