The financial specifics of the deal with UtiliCorp were not disclosed. UtiliCorp said about 73 percent of the electricity generated by the wind farm will go to WestPlains Energy, which has 65,000 customers in Kansas, and Missouri Public Service, which has 205,000 electric customers in western Missouri. Wind power will amount to about 4 percent of the current generating capacity of those utilities. The balance of the wind power not used by WestPlains and Missouri Public Service will be sold on the wholesale market. Wind power traditionally has been uneconomical because of the cost of the equipment.
Equipment accounts for most of the expense.
A megawatt is 1,000 kilowatts. But natural gas costs have been volatile during the past year. There is a limit to how much wind power an electric utility can use. Since the wind is fickle, utilities will continue to rely on coal, oil and gas to ensure they can meet demand, said George Minter, a UtiliCorp spokesman.