Enel Green Power North America has started construction of the 300-MW Seven Cowboy wind project in Kiowa and Washita counties in Oklahoma. Seven Cowboy’s 107 turbines are expected to generate over 1.3 TWh of energy each year, equivalent to the electricity needs of over 120,000 US households.
The project is expected to generate over $55 million in new local tax revenue for schools and public services, along with over $41 million in payments to landowners, over its lifetime. Construction will involve over 300 construction jobs, and the site will employ around 15 permanent positions. Operations are expected to begin by the end of 2022.
“With another Oklahoma wind farm on the way, we’re increasing our focus on developing a strong clean-energy workforce,” said Paolo Romanacci, head of Enel Green Power in the United States and Canada. “Our process is straightforward: invest in STEM education to inspire students to join our industry, execute on our ambitious growth strategy to create new skilled jobs and train new hires in-house to equip them for our open positions in Oklahoma and beyond.”
Enel’s new office space will include classrooms and state-of-the-art simulation facilities for working inside wind turbines. Courses will include topics on safety, professional development, working at heights, ladder rescues, turbine repair and troubleshooting. Trainees will learn in multiple settings including classroom discussion, hands-on simulation and virtual reality.
New wind workers supporting Enel’s entire U.S. wind fleet will simulate the experience of climbing and maintaining a wind turbine with trainings held year-round inside an office space that also can support up to 25 office-based employees.
News item from Enel Green Power North America
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