Duke Energy Renewables begins operations at 350 MW Frontier Windpower II project in Oklahoma

The new 350 MW Frontier Windpower II project in Kay County, Okla., began operations this week, making it the largest wind power project at Duke Energy Renewables’ disposal.

“We’re pleased to be working with AT&T and Ball Corporation on the Frontier II project, which is located in an area that has some of the best wind resources in the country,” Chris Fallon, president of Duke Energy Renewables, said. “This project further demonstrates how we can address the community’s need for clean energy resources while providing unique sustainability solutions for our customers.”

Nearly all of the energy is already spoken for, thanks to 15-year virtual power purchase agreements with AT&T and Ball Corporation. It is expected to provide enough energy to power approximately 123,000 average homes, thanks to the 74 wind turbines on-site supplied by the Nordex Group.

“At AT&T, we believe renewable energy is good for the planet, for our business, and for the communities we serve,” Scott Mair, president of AT&T Network Engineering & Operations, said. “With more than 1.5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, our portfolio delivers clean electricity to the grid, helps to create jobs and community benefits, and supports the transition to a low-carbon economy. This is an important piece of our journey to reach carbon neutrality across our global operations by 2035.”

AT&T and Ball Corporation will lease 160 MW and 161 MW from the site, respectively. Frontier II is actually an expansion, though, building on the already operational 200 MW Frontier Windpower project, which began in 2016. Together, the sites generate approximately 550 MW of wind energy.

“Partnering with Duke Energy on the Frontier II project is a momentous step in helping Ball achieve our Science Based Targets, reduce the carbon footprint of our beverage cans and support our customers’ sustainability goals,” said Kathleen Pitre, chief commercial officer and chief sustainability officer of Ball Corporation. “As the largest aluminum beverage packaging manufacturer in the world and a leading corporate buyer of renewable energy in our industry, the Frontier II project will contribute to Ball meeting our target to address 100% of our North American electricity load with renewable energy.”

Additionally, Amshore Renewable Energy provided development support for the project, while Wanzek Construction handled contracting work.