January
7, 2002
FPL Energy announces full operation of two large wind power facilities
Juno Beach, FL - FPL Energy, LLC. a subsidiary of FPL Group (NYSE:FPL)
and the nation's largest wind energy producer, today announced full
operation of two large wind energy facilities, one in Texas and
one along the Washington-Oregon border.
The 278 megawatt King Mountain Clean Energy Center near Odessa,
Texas, and the 263-megawatt Stateline Clean Energy Center near Walla
Walla, Wash., went into operation in mid-December.
The two new energy centers join three other wind power facilities
put into operation by FPL Energy during 2001 -160-megawatts at Woodward
Mountain, also near Odessa, Texas, 112-megawatts in Gray County,
Kan., and 30-megawatts at Monfort, Wis. In all, FPL Energy began
operating 844-megawatts of wind power during 2001, more than double
its prior capacity of wind energy.
"This has been a banner year for FPL Energy's development
of wind power throughout the central and western regions of the
country," said Dean Gosselin, FPL Energy vice president of
wind development. "We know there are many more opportunities
for wind energy throughout the country and great support in many
regions for new wind power facilities."
As the leader in wind energy generation in the United States, FPL
Energy operates 1,830-megawatts and owns 1,439-megawatts of wind
power facilities in eight states.
"Wind power is an important component of our nation's move
toward energy independence as we harness our natural resources for
production of electricity. It is a clean, renewable source of energy
that can be sited, built and in operation much more rapidly than
conventional fossil fuel facilities," Gosselin said.
The company will continue looking for appropriate sites for wind
power development, but expressed concern about the future of this
fast growing and clean renewable energy source following the December
expiration of the federal wind energy production tax credit. The
federal tax credit would apply to future wind facilities in operation.
"Elimination of the federal production tax credit for wind
power will negatively impact future construction of these important
renewable energy power plants across the country. Many suppliers
of wind energy components slow or close their production lines and
even those who would like to move forward with wind projects will
be unable to do so," Gosselin said. "FPL Energy will continue
working with Members of Congress to extend the wind energy production
tax credit," he added.
FPL Energy is the nation's leader in wind energy generation, with
24 wind farms in Iowa, Kansas, Texas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington,
Oregon and California.
FPL Energy is a leading independent producer of clean energy from
natural gas, wind, solar and hydroelectric. The company's portfolio
includes 73 facilities in operation, under construction, or in advanced
stages of development in 17 states. Wind power represents 29 percent
of the company's portfolio, with a total of 80 percent being fueled
by renewable sources or clean-burning natural gas.
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