A new 100MW wind project is being constructed in Barber County, Kansas, developed by BP Alternative Energy North America, Inc through its Flat Ridge Wind Energy LLC subsidiary.

The Flat Ridge Wind Farm is one of a trio of new wind power developments currently in progress in Kansas that will provide a combined electricity generation capacity of 300MW. The other 2 projects are the Central Plains Wind Farm and the Meridian Way Wind Farm.

The Flat Ridge Wind Farm is to be made up of 40 Clipper C96 2.5MW wind turbines and construction is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2008. It’s planned that the wind farm will be operational by the end of 2008 with around 30,000 homes being provided with clean electricity as a result.

Westar Energy will own 50MW of the electricity generation and has entered into a power purchase agreement to but the remaining 50MW.

In the short term customers will see a $2.00 – $2.50 price rise in their monthly energy bills but in the longer term, the generation of electricity from this renewable resource should lower the costs. The cost to Westar Energy, who will be buying half of the 3 power plant deal will be $282 million with puchase costs under the agreements added on top.

The goal for Westar Energy is to have brought a total of 500MW of renewable energy on-line by 2010 and once this first tranche of 300MW is operational they will begin identifying projects that will meet their goals.

To read about more wind power developments, visit the Wind Power page.