Southern Power opens Reading Wind Facility in Kansas

The 200-megawatt (MW) Reading Wind Facility in Osage and Lyon Counties, Kan., is now operational.

The facility, owned by Southern Power, a subsidiary of the Southern Company, is the company’s eleventh wind facility.

As part of the Verified Carbon Standard Program, the carbon offsets generated by the Reading Wind Facility are being sold to Royal Caribbean Cruises under a 12-year power purchase agreement. It is expected to offset more than 10 percent of Royal Caribbean’s emissions.

“Reading Wind Facility is our first wind project in the state of Kansas, and we are pleased to see this project achieve commercial operation,” Southern Power President Bill Grantham said. “The addition of this facility showcases our commitment to the development of wind energy and is an excellent addition to our growing renewable fleet.”

The Reading Wind Facility consists of 62 wind turbines manufactured by Siemens Gamesa, which is responsible for the annual maintenance service plan. Southern Power will perform the balance of onsite plant operations and maintenance.

Southern Power acquired Reading Wind Facility in August 2018. Renewable Energy Systems (RES) developed and built the facility, which created 200 jobs at peak construction.

Southern Power generates more than 2,100 MW of wind generation. The company produces about 4,510-MW of renewable energy, including 41 solar and wind facilities operating or under construction.