Mortenson has started turbine erection work on the 248.2-MW King Plains Wind Project located in Garber, Oklahoma, for ENGIE North America. The project is comprised of 88 2.82-MW GE turbines totaling 248.2 MW of clean energy and spans approximately 60 square miles.
Mortenson was selected as the EPC contractor to construct the wind project by ENGIE in 2019 and mobilized in Garfield County in September of 2019. After mobilization, the team started building access roads, laydown yard, collection system and foundations. Work on the substation and O&M building was started in December last year. The project is estimated to be complete in September of 2020.
“We are excited to be constructing another project for Engie and glad to be back in Oklahoma adding more wind energy capacity to the State,” said Tim Maag, Vice President and General Manager of Mortenson’s Wind Energy team. “Before King Plains, Mortenson constructed two projects for ENGIE in Kansas.”
The Mortenson team is pleased to be working in the Garber community. At peak construction, 200-250 people will be employed on-site. When completed, property taxes at the King Plains site are expected to total nearly $50 million during the 30-year life of the project.
According to the American Wind Association (AWEA), Oklahoma ranks third nationwide for installed wind capacity and second for total wind energy generation. Currently, the state has an installed wind capacity of 8,172 MW with 1,415 MW under construction. Including King Plains, Mortenson has erected 667 turbines generating 1,264 MW of energy in Oklahoma. Mortenson’s first Oklahoma wind project was constructed in 2003 and produced 74 MW of energy.
Mortenson is also currently building the 300-MW Prairie Hill wind project in Limestone County, Texas, for ENGIE. The Prairie Hill project has a parallel construction schedule to King Plains.
News item from Mortenson
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