Golden Hills North Wind Energy is located in Eastern Alameda County, and is expected to be operational at the end of 2017.
Sonoma Clean Power (SCP) has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for 20 years of wind power from Golden Hills North Wind Energy Center. SCP is a public agency that has been generating electricity for 88% of Sonoma County’s residents and business owners since launching in 2014.
The PPA, which was negotiated by SCP’s Director of Power Services Deb Emerson, is a step toward improved balance for the Agency’s portfolio. “It’s important to have a diversified power mix to support our load,” said Emerson. “I’m pleased that SCP has been able to negotiate diverse power contracts for solar, geothermal, hydropower, and now wind.”
Golden Hills North Wind Energy is located in Eastern Alameda County within the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area. The project is being developed by NextEra Energy Resources, and represents the Agency’s first long-term, in-state wind contract.
NextEra expects to receive final management approval for the PPA within the next month. The re-powered project is expected to be operational by December 31, 2017, and produce enough electricity to power up to 46,000 Sonoma County homes.
“Re-powered wind facilities carry multiple benefits,” offered Geof Syphers, SCP’s CEO.
“One re-powered modern wind turbine replaces 21 of the old style, they produce more energy, and reduce the risk to birds,” added Syphers.
SCP has saved customers $62 million in bill savings since beginning service in May 2014, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 48% relative to PG&E. The Agency’s default CleanStart service is 37% renewable, and their innovative EverGreen service is 100% locally produced renewable electricity.
Sonoma Clean Power is a not-for-profit pubic agency providing cleaner electricity at competitive rates to residential and commercial customers in all Sonoma County cities (with the exception of Healdsburg who has their own municipal utility), and the unincorporated areas of the county.
Filed Under: News, Projects
