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OPPD increases its wind portfolio

A subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources is going to build a 160-megawatt wind farm called Sholes Wind Facility in Wayne County, Nebraska. 

And Media Specialist Jodi Baker says OPPD is going to buy 100% of the wind energy that facility produces.  Baker says OPPD has a 20-year agreement with NextEra Energy Resources on the wind farm. 

Baker says in 2016, 19.6% of OPPD’s retail energy sales came from renewables. 

In 2017, she says that number is expected to reach 34%.  When the new facility comes online, it’s expected that 40% of OPPD’s retail energy sales will be provided through renewable energy.

"This definitely helps further our goals of adding more renewable energy resources.  We had an integrated resource plan that called for increasing wind generation in our portfolio.  With this addition - it’s the first since our 400-megawatt Grand Prairie Wind Facility came online late last year - and with this, we are increasing our renewable energy goals.”

Baker says construction on the wind facility is set to begin in March 2019 and is expected to be fully operational by December of 2019.