From: ethanb@ptolemy.astro.washington.edu (Ethan Bradford)
Subject: Re: --Utility to Buy Windpower
Organization: U. of Washington
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 23:27:16 GMT

Reposted from <1466300086@igc.apc.org> in sci.energy by Tom Gray
<tgray@igc.apc.org>
   /* Written  9:37 am  Oct  1, 1992 by tgray in cdp:en.energy */
   /* ---------- "--Utility to Buy Windpower" ---------- */
   PUGET SOUND POWER & LIGHT
   HAS PLANS FOR 28 MW OF WIND

   Puget Sound Power & Light Co. announced recently that it is
   negotiating with U.S. Windpower (USW), of Livermore, Calif., to buy
   power from a 28-MW windfarm to be installed on a long mountain
   ridge west of Richland, Wash.

   Although the wind power plant would be modest in scale compared to
   the hundreds of megawatts of wind capacity installed in
   California's mountain passes, it would still be the Pacific
   Northwest's first major wind project.

   The USW project is one of several using renewable energy and
   conservation that were selected during Puget's recent resource
   acquisition.  The utility is also planning to purchase power from
   a 5-MW biomass facility fueled by "wood liquor" (a pulp mill
   byproduct) and from a 20-MW landfill gas project, according to the
   Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper.

   The average annual wind speed at the site, called Rattlesnake
   Ridge, is 16 mph (7.1 m/s), and USW would install 275 turbines
   there, the article said.

   According to the article, PacifiCorp., another major utility based
   in Portland, Ore., has said it plans to acquire up to 200 MW of
   wind energy capacity by the year 2001, if wind is cost-effective.

   The debate over cost has hampered wind's penetration in the
   Northwest, with gas turbines still enjoying a price advantage in
   many areas.  However, even with gas, there is concern about air
   pollution and global warming, the article said.  One public-
   interest group spokesman was quoted as saying his organization will
   fight in the future to prevent utilities from recovering costs for
   carbon dioxide emissions controls for gas if those controls turn
   out to be needed.

   There are signs that the Rattlesnake Ridge project may also
   stimulate debate in the environmentally-conscious Northwest. 
   According to the June 7 Tri-City Herald newspaper, the city of
   Kennewick, Wash., has adopted a resolution opposing the wind power
   plant on environmental grounds.

   ===============================

   The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has authorized me to offer
   an electronic edition of its newsletter, _Wind Energy Weekly_, from
   which the above article is excerpted, at no cost.

   For those of you who have not previously seen excerpts from back issues
   on Usenet or Bitnet, the _Weekly_ reports on the outlook for renewable
   energy, energy-related environmental issues, and renewable energy
   legislation in addition to wind industry trade news.  The electronic
   edition normally runs about 10kb in length.

   If you would like a free electronic subscription, send me an e-mail
   request.  Please include information on your position, organization,
   and reason for interest in the publication.

   *******************************************************************
   Tom Gray                                 EcoNet/PeaceNet: tgray@igc
   Internet/Bitnet: tgray@igc.apc.org    UUCP: uunet!pyramid!cdp!tgray

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