ALLETE Clean Energy begins operations at 303 MW Oklahoma wind farm

Operations began at the Diamond Spring wind site in southern Oklahoma last week, providing 303 MW of renewable energy for corporate customers for ALLETE Clean Energy.

Under 12-15 year contracts, that energy — enough to power about 114,000 homes — will benefit Walmart, Smithfield Foods, and Starbucks. It is ALLETE’s largest project, and brings the company’s total wind capacity to more than 1,000 MW. All wind turbines on-site also qualified for the safe harbor provision of federal production tax credits, helping Diamond Spring to keep energy costs low.

“Diamond Spring will help our customers achieve their climate-action goals and bring more renewable energy onto the nation’s power grid,” Allan Rudeck Jr., ALLETE Clean Energy president, said. “I’m extremely proud of our team for developing our largest wind site and bringing it to commercial operation on schedule during a global pandemic.”

ALLETE Clean Energy, a subsidy of ALLETE, Inc., now moves to develop the Caddo wind site in central Oklahoma. Another 303 MW project, Caddo is expected to be operational by the end of next year. While its energy is already contracted for three corporate clients, McDonald’s Corporation will take the lion’s share.