PSO has signed agreements for the long-term purchase of nearly 600 megawatts (MW) of wind energy from facilities currently under development in northwestern Oklahoma and the Oklahoma panhandle.

Long-term Renewable Energy Purchase Agreements (REPAs) totaling 598.7 megawatts will provide PSO customers with energy from wind farms near Seiling, Balko and Goodwell beginning January 1, 2016. The agreements are for 20 years and are subject to approval by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

The new REPAs are a result of a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued June 10, 2013, in which PSO sought long-term purchases of up to 200 MW of new wind energy resources. The decision to contract for an additional 400 MW was based on extraordinary pricing opportunities that will lower costs for PSO’s customers by an estimated $53 million in the first year of the contracts. Annual savings are expected to grow each year over the lives of the contracts.

“With these long-term power purchase agreements we’re adding a significant amount of Oklahoma wind energy, bringing more diversity to our fuel mix, and doing so at a price that will provide substantial savings for our customers,” said Stuart Solomon, PSO president and chief operating officer.

When deliveries of energy from the three new wind contracts commence in 2016, PSO’s total wind energy under contract will be 1,137 MW. The new series of 20-year agreements includes:

• 199.8 MW from Balko Wind, LLC, owned by Apex Clean Energy Holdings, LLC and located in Beaver County, in the panhandle area of Oklahoma.
• 198.9 MW from Seiling Wind, LLC, owned by NextEra Energy Resources, LLC and located in Dewey County in northwestern Oklahoma.
• 200 MW from the Goodwell Wind Project, LLC, owned by TradeWind Energy, and located in Texas County in the panhandle area of Oklahoma.