BP Opens Another Texas Wind Farm
BP Wind Energy now operates four wind farms in Texas and has more than $1 billion invested in them.
BP Wind Energy executives were joined by several elected officials at a Feb. 22 dedication ceremony for the Sherbino 2 Wind Farm in Pecos County in west Texas. The 150 megawatt farm is owned and operated 100 percent by BP and will generate enough electricity to power 45,000 average American homes, according to the company.
BP has several other Texas wind farms generating electricity for the grid. Sherbino 2 is located on a 20,000-acre site 30 miles east of Fort Stockton. On it are 60 Clipper Windpower C-96 wind turbines, each having a rated capacity of 2.5 MW. About 250 workers were employed during peak construction and 12 permanent workers will monitor and maintain the wind farm now that it is operational. The new farm's power output will be delivered to the transmission system managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and sold on the wholesale power market.
"We need an all-of-the-above energy strategy, especially when hard-working American families are being hurt by increasing gas prices," said U.S. Rep. Francisco "Quico" Canseco, R-Texas, who represents a sprawling district along the state's southern border, including Fort Stockton. "We can create a lot of energy right here in Texas, and projects like the Sherbino 2 Wind Farm will ensure that we don't miss opportunities to make America more energy independent."
"Texas is a leader in promoting renewable power generation, and this aligns well with BP's commitment to produce essential sources of energy and provide cost-competitive power to our customers," said John Graham, president and CEO of BP Wind Energy. "The wind industry is a tremendous made-in-America story that has created thousands of manufacturing jobs and led to significant improvements in wind turbine technology and power generation. The production tax credit has created a new business model that has attracted billions in private investment, and we urge Congress to allow the industry to finish the job and extend the PTC."
"From the first phases of construction to today's dedication and on into the future, BP's Sherbino 2 Wind Farm has had, and will continue to have, a major positive impact on the economy of Pecos County," said Doug May, economic development director of Fort Stockton.