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Duke Energy Plans Wind Project, Lines Up Sales

The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Electric company Duke Energy Corp. on Wednesday said it plans to develop a second wind energy project in Cheyenne, Wyo., and has reached power purchase agreements with two regional utilities.

The company said its 42-megawatt Silver Sage Windpower Project will be Duke Energy's third wind facility in the state of Wyoming. The project will consist of 20 Suzlon wind turbines, each capable of generating 2.1 megawatts of electricity.

The latest project will be adjacent to Duke's Happy Jack wind farm located west of Cheyenne.

The company said it plans to begin construction of the Silver Sage project this spring, with a 2009 year-end completion goal.

Duke said it had 20-year power purchase agreements to sell all of the electricity generated at the site to a utility subsidiary of Black Hills Corp., and Colorado-based Platte River Power Authority.

Black Hills said its subsidiary, Cheyenne Light, Fuel & Power Co., will purchase 30 megawatts of wind energy from Duke through the agreement. Cheyenne Light and Black Hills Power, also a Black Hills utility subsidiary, currently purchases all output from the 30 megawatt Happy Jack wind farm that began operations in September 2008.

Duke Energy shares closed at $14.32 on Tuesday. Shares of Black Hills closed at $17.89.