GDRA agrees to purchase energy from Apex Clean’s Kay Wind project in US

The Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA), Oklahoma’s state-owned electric utility, has agreed to buy 100MW of energy generated from Apex Clean Energy’s Kay Wind project.

The power purchase agreement signed is expected to save GRDA’s customers around $50m over the lifetime of the project, located in Kay County near the communities of Newkirk and Peckham.

Expected to be completed in 2015, the project is anticipated to generate approximately $53m in local tax revenue and about $48m in local landowner payments.

GRDA Investments director/CEO Dan Sullivan said: "Additional wind power is a key point in our long-term generation plan and this agreement allows us to use Oklahoma wind to generate long-term benefits for Oklahoma ratepayers.

"We are seeing an increased interest in renewable power from several of our industrial and commercial customers, and we are excited to use Oklahoma resources to service this growing demand."

GRDA is already receiving 48MW of energy from Apex Clean’s Canadian Hills wind farm, located near El Reno, Oklahoma.

Apex Clean Energy president Mark Goodwin said: "With this agreement, GRDA will use one of Oklahoma’s most abundant natural resources, the wind, to reduce energy costs for Oklahoma residents and businesses, while generating revenue for Oklahoma communities and Oklahoma farmers."

GRDA also has agreements with TradeWind Energy for 235MW of electricity generated from two other wind farms in Oklahoma.

Wind power currently accounts for more than 15% of GRDA’s entire generation capability.