When the plant is running at full power, it can generate enough electricity to meet the needs of 15,000 to 25,000 homes. Wyoming and Montana each have the potential to generate hundreds of billions of kilowatt-hours annually from the wind, and to create tens of thousands of jobs in the process. After that, the owners may extend the contract with SeaWest or make other arrangements. Dedication ceremonies for the project are tentatively planned for July 16, 1999. With annual average winds of approximately 25 mph on the Foote Creek Rim, the site has higher sustained winds than most other projects, where winds typically average 15-20 mph.
Higher winds have the potential to generate more electricity.
The temperature range is also more extreme than most wind project sites, since Wyoming winter temperatures can drop to 30 below zero. The equipment is adapted for cold weather conditions, and scientists and energy experts will study these conditions to determine the impacts on technology and energy production. For other releases in this series, go to the AWEA News page on this Web site. May be freely distributed provided this notice is included. All other rights reserved.