Renewable Energy Systems Americas has signed a long-term agreement to provide the full output of a 150-MW wind project in Arkansas to Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. (AECC).
The wind power will be sourced from the Origin Wind Energy project, which is located in Murray and Carter Counties in southeast Oklahoma. RES Americas developed and will construct the 75-turbine project, which is scheduled to begin commercial operation by Dec. 31, 2014.
Duane Highley, the president and CEO of Little Rock-based AECC, said it should provide the cooperative with a hedge against fluctuating natural gas energy prices.
AECC’s agreement was made possible through the National Renewables Cooperative Organization (NRCO), which enables cooperatives nationwide to pool the ownership and benefits of renewable resources.
RES Americas is part of the RES Group, a leading international renewable energy developer. RES has a construction portfolio of more than 6,500 MW of renewable energy. RES has also been busy lately, announcing a battery project in Ohio and plans to provide wind power for Xcel Energy (NYSE:XEL).
Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation is a 50% owner in the Flint Creek plant in Arkansas, which recently won approval for new emissions controls. Flint Creek is co-owned with a subsidiary of American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP).
