BP and Sempra Generation Dedicate Colorado’s Newest Wind Farm with Commissioner Salazar
NEW RAYMER, CO, July 13, 2011 — BP Wind Energy and Sempra Generation today welcomed Colorado’s Commissioner of Agriculture John Salazar to a dedication ceremony to celebrate the successful construction of the Cedar Creek 2 Wind Farm in Weld County, Colorado.
Salazar was joined by other state and local elected officials, landowners and community leaders in celebrating the project’s success at the dedication ceremony today.
“This project is an example of a great partnership between our traditional farming families and energy companies to harness the wind and provide clean, domestic energy sources for our state,” said Salazar. “The Cedar Creek 2 Wind Farm further helps our state deliver on its renewable energy goals of 30 percent, one of the highest in our nation.”
The Cedar Creek 2 Wind Farm is located on a 30,000-acre site some 20 miles north of New Raymer, in Weld County, Colorado. The wind farm has a generating capacity of over 250 megawatts (MW). The facility utilizes 63 GE sle wind turbines, each with a rated capacity of 1.6 MW, and 60 Nordex wind turbines, each with a rated capacity of 2.5 MW.
“With this project, the state of Colorado has over 1,000 spinning wind turbines,” said John Graham, president and CEO, BP Wind Energy. “The Cedar Creek 2 Wind Farm has created 19 permanent jobs, will generate over $1 million annually in taxes and economic benefit to the rural community of Weld County, and brings affordable renewable power to over 75,000 residents of Colorado. BP, together with our partner, Sempra Generation, is proud to be growing our investment with the Weld County community and we look forward to helping meet this area’s growing demand for electricity.”
“Colorado is known for bold thinking, and a project of this scale was only possible because of the leadership of state and local policy-makers and the Public Service of Colorado, as well as the support from the Weld County community,” said Jeffrey W. Martin, president and CEO of Sempra Generation. “We are pleased to join BP Wind Energy in dedicating Cedar Creek 2 and look forward to supporting the state’s efforts to increase the use of clean electricity.”
The renewable power generated at the Cedar Creek 2 Wind Farm has been sold under a long-term power purchase agreement to the Public Service Company of Colorado, an Xcel Energy company.
As part of the events surrounding the dedication, the wind farm owners presented a check for $15,000 to the Prairie School in New Raymer for a new, mobile computer laboratory. The Prairie School is located some five miles from the site of the wind farm and serves students in grades K through 12.
About BP
BP is a principal owner and operator of wind power facilities in the US with interests in 13 wind farms. BP has a gross installed capacity of nearly 1600 MW – enough electricity to power approximately 500,000 average American homes. BP is also the second largest natural gas producer in Colorado and employs about 300 people in the Southwest portion of the state.
For more information on BP’s wind business, please visit the company’s Web site at
http://www.bpalternativenergy.com.
About Sempra Generation
Sempra Generation operates and maintains a fleet of natural gas-fueled power plants, and is a leading developer of solar and wind facilities that serve U.S. markets. Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2010 revenues of $9 billion. The Sempra Energy companies’ nearly 16,000 employees serve about 26 million consumers worldwide.
For further information: Media Contact: Scott Crider,
Sempra Generation,
(877) 855-7887,
www.semprageneration.com,
Media Contact: BP Press Office,
(281) 366-1236,
www.bpalternativenergy.com