Westar Energy, NextEra Energy open two Kansas wind energy centers
State and local leaders and landowners joined executives from NextEra Energy Resources and Westar Energy to celebrate the commissioning of the Kingman and Ninnescah Wind Energy Centers, which has created hundreds of construction jobs as well as millions of dollars in economic benefits to the region.
“Wind energy is good for Kansas and it’s good for our economy,” said Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, addressing landowners and guests at the commissioning ceremony. “When these blades are turning in the wind, it’s just like the combines harvesting wheat from our land – we are creating value from our natural resources to the benefit of our people and I’d like to see more projects like these.”
“These projects represent a more than $650 million investment in Kansas,” said Armando Pimentel, president and CEO of NextEra Energy Resources, the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and the sun. An affiliate of the company owns and operates the Kingman and Ninnescah projects. “We are very pleased to bring these wind energy centers online to help serve the state and boost the local economy.”
The Kingman and Ninnescah Wind Energy Centers feature more than 240 GE wind turbines designed to pivot to capture the prevailing wind and convert it to clean, renewable electricity. Together, they have a generating capacity of 400 megawatts, capable of powering more than 100,000 homes. The energy serves customers of Westar Energy as well as its wholesale partners Midwest Energy and the cities of McPherson, Chanute, Iola, Fredonia and Sabetha through energy management service agreements.
