NextEra Energy Canada awards wind turbine contract to GE

NextEra Energy Resources subsidiary NextEra Energy Canada has selected GE to supply wind turbines for its six new wind farms planned to be built in Ontario, Canada.

The wind farms will use GE’s new 288 of GE’s 1.6-100 wind turbines to produce over 460MW of clean power sufficient to power around 120,000 homes.

NextEra Energy Resources president and CEO Armando Pimentel said, "We are pleased to expand our partnership with GE as we continue our efforts to bring these important wind projects into service to increase Ontario’s supply of clean, wind-generated electricity."

GE renewable energy vice president Vic Abate said they developed the new 1.6-100 wind turbine specifically to meet the higher performance and efficiency challenges of today’s wind industry, in Canada and worldwide.

"After the strong global acceptance of this technology, we’re extremely pleased that our 1.6 wind turbines now will have a major presence in Canada," Abate added.

Under a 20-year power purchase agreements the subsidiaries of NextEra Energy Canada were awarded Authority to develop the projects by the Ontario Power, located at six sites across Ontario.

The wind farms are expected to enter commercial operation in 2013 and 2014.

The 100m blades of 1.6-100 turbines can capture additional energy in low-wind environments too.

Manufacturing facilities of GE and its suppliers in Port Colborne, Ottawa, Windsor and Stony Creek will all contribute to fulfilling the agreement.