TULSA, Okla. (March 21, 2022) – Traverse, the largest wind farm built at one time in North America and one of three new wind facilities providing clean energy to Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) customers, has begun commercial operations.
The 998-megawatt (MW) Traverse facility in Blaine and Custer Counties is part of the 1,484-MW North Central Energy Facilities (NCEF) project. All three wind farm facilities have cold-weather packages, which will increase performance during extreme weather.
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“PSO customers expect clean, renewable energy to be part of our energy mix, and the completion of this wind farm delivers on our commitment to meet those needs,” said PSO President and Chief Operating Officer Peggy Simmons. “This investment in Oklahoma will save our customers approximately $1 billion during the time the facilities are in service and will help mitigate the impact of spikes in market prices.”
If the fuel-free NCEF project had been fully online during the winter storm of February 2021, over $200 million in savings could’ve been realized.
In addition to the 356-turbine Traverse facility, the NCEF project includes the 199-MW Sundance wind farm, which began commercial operation in April 2021, and the 287-MW Maverick wind farm, which began commercial operation in September 2021. In total, the facilities will generate enough energy to power 440,000 homes.
PSO will receive 675 MW from the NCEF project. Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) will receive 809 MW.
The NCEF projects were developed by Invenergy and purchased by PSO and SWEPCO at completion. PSO and SWEPCO are local operating companies of American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP).
Through PSO’s WindChoice program, customers can opt for up to 100% of their power to come from Oklahoma-generated wind power Renewable Energy Certificates representing the environmental benefits of wind.
About PSO
PSO, a unit of American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP), is an electric utility company serving more than 562,000 customer accounts in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma. Based in Tulsa, PSO has approximately 3,800 megawatts of generating capacity fueled primarily by natural gas, 22-thousand miles of distribution lines and 37-hundred miles of transmission lines. PSO also is one of the largest distributors of wind energy in the state. News releases and other information is at www.PSOklahoma.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, NextDoor and Instagram @PSOklahoma.
About American Electric Power (AEP)
American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is powering a cleaner, brighter energy future for its customers and communities. AEP’s approximately 16,700 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 224,000 miles of distribution lines to safely deliver reliable and affordable power to 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 31,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 5,900 megawatts of renewable energy. The company’s plans include growing its renewable generation portfolio to approximately 50% of total capacity by 2030. AEP is on track to reach an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2000 levels by 2030 and has committed to achieving net zero by 2050. AEP is recognized consistently for its focus on sustainability, community engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.
Media Contact:
Wayne Greene
PSO Corporate Communications
(918) 521-1474
lwgreene@aep.com