Kansas wind resources provide affordable, green energy.
TOPEKA, Kan. – Nov. 5, 2018 – Westar’s new Renewables Direct program subscriptions reached about 90 percent with Kansas businesses and government agencies signing on for 200 megawatts of affordable Kansas wind.
Fourteen Kansas organizations enrolled in Renewables Direct and will receive all or a portion of their electricity from the Soldier Creek Wind Energy Center to be built in Nemaha County and will begin operations by the end of 2020.
“We commend these Kansas organizations for their commitment to sustainable energy solutions,” said Chuck Caisley, chief customer officer of Evergy, which operates as Westar Energy and KCP&L. “We haven’t even broken ground on the wind farm and enough customers have stepped forward to purchase most of the energy it will produce. Kansas is a national leader in wind with affordable resources that bring economic benefit both to the communities where it is produced and to the customers who value it as an affordable tool to meet sustainability goals.”
In July, Westar announced the new program, which is designed to provide large customers a path toward their sustainability goals with Kansas’ abundant, affordable renewable energy. Participating customers are able to claim a portion of the energy generated by the wind farm as their own, retain all of the renewable attributes and lock in a portion of their electricity prices for up to 20 years. The program is structured to add projects in the future to keep up with the growing appetite for renewable sources of our customers.
Customers signing up for the initial program introduction include: Ardent Mills, Newton and Wichita; Benedictine College, Atchison; Bunge Milling, Atchison and Emporia; Cargill, Cummings, Emporia, Hutchinson, Topeka and Wichita; Cox Communications, multiple Kansas locations; Evcon, Wichita; Kansas State University, Manhattan; Landoll Corp., Marysville; Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita; Sisters of Charity, Leavenworth; Textron Aviation, Independence and Wichita; University of Kansas, Lawrence; Veteran’s Affairs Medical Centers in Leavenworth, Topeka and Wichita; and Washburn University, Topeka.
The 300 MW Soldier Creek Wind Energy Center, which will be developed northeast of Manhattan, is expected to bring about 250 construction jobs and 15 to 20 permanent green energy jobs to Nemaha County. During the first 30 years of the project, landowners will receive more than $50 million in land-rights payments. The wind farm will be owned and operated by an affiliate of NextEra Energy Resources, Inc. Construction of the wind farm is scheduled to begin early 2019.
