Invenergy, GE Renewable Energy to build largest wind farm in the US

The Wind Catcher facility, on track to be the second-largest wind-based renewable energy farm in the world, is currently under construction in Oklahoma as past of a joint project with Invenergy and GE Renewable Energy.

Slated for completion in 2020, the project consists of a 2,000 megawatt wind farm that will supply energy to more than 1.1 million people in the South Central United States. To that end, 800 GE turbines will be in place, joined to the already $4.5 billion Wind Catch Energy Connection that includes a 350-mile extra-high voltage power line. When finished, American Electric Power (AEP) utility subsidiaries Public Service Co.
of Oklahoma (PSO) and Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) also hope to purchase the wind farm from Invenergy.

“Wind Catcher shows American leadership in bringing low-cost clean energy to market at giga scale,” Invenergy’s Founder and CEO Michael Polsky said. “This project reflects Invenergy’s innovative spirit and unparalleled execution ability, and we are proud to be working with forward looking utilities like PSO and SWEPCO whose customers and communities will benefit from this project for decades to come.”

The AEP has strong predictions of the site’s worth, estimating it will save customers $7 billion over the course of 25 years. It is also expected to bring in more than 8,000 jobs related to construction and 80 permanent jobs once complete. For its first five years, the facility will be operated by Invenergy.