The Tennessee Valley Authority announced today it has contracted for more Midwest wind generation to help boost its energy supply from renewable sources.
TVA said it has signed a 20-year agreement with Horizon Wind Energy LLC for 115 megawatts of electricity from a wind farm in Iowa, starting this fall. The energy will come from 70 existing 1.65-megawatt wind turbines.
“This contract again affirms TVA’s commitment to providing affordable, reliable electric power at the lowest possible cost,” TVA Senior Vice President John Trawick said in a statement today. “Wind energy is an increasingly valuable part of our generation portfolio.”
With the announcement today of the Horizon contract, TVA has agreed to buy up to 1,380 megawatts of new renewable or clean energy resources to the generating system – or more power than what one of TVA’s nuclear reactors generate.
TVA has set a goal of getting half of its electricity generation from carbon-free sources, including nuclear power, hydroelectric power, wind, solar and geothermal.
TVA is capable of getting more than 10 percent of its total generation from wind, solar and geothermal – a total of 3,889 megawatts – but some of that power is produced only when the sun shines or the wind blows.