Another project pushes new California capacity this year to 311 MW

A 22 MW project has joined the list of those slated for completion this year in California (Windpower Monthly, September 2003), bringing the combined new wind capacity heralded for the state this year to 311 MW. The Mountain View III project, in the San Gorgonio Pass, is being developed by power marketer PPM Energy together with Seawest Windpower. PPM, a subsidiary of the UK's Scottish Power, says it will sell the output to San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) under a 15 year contract. In addition, PPM will sell SDG&E another 3 MW from its Phoenix wind project in the same area. SDG&E, the California utility with the least amount of renewable energy, announced late in 2002 that it will sign contracts for 15 projects with 11 energy suppliers for 326.7 MW of renewables generation. Five of those projects tallying 156.2 MW are for wind energy, but the utility refused to name developers at that time (Windpower Monthly, December 2002). PPM and Seawest intend to install 34 Vestas 660 kW wind turbines. The wind farm, along with two Midwest projects under construction, brings the PPM wind portfolio to 750 MW through a combination of ownership and power purchase agreements. Pacificorp, also a subsidiary of Scottish Power, developed the 3 MW Phoenix wind project using NEG Micon 700 kW turbines in 1998. It was transferred to PPM in 2000.