Vital Pathway For Wind Power into OKC Unlocked

By Colleen Chen, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The first major wind power transmission line into Oklahoma City is now on.

OG&E has energized the new line called Windspeed. Windspeed is a 121 mile transmission line that runs from Woodward to Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission approved the 345 kilovolt line back in 2008. It cost $200 million to complete and was officially launched last week.

The Windspeed unlocks the potential for more wind farms to be built since the line gives OG&E more capacity.

"It will give wind developers an outlet to begin to deliver power to cities like Oklahoma City," said Brian Alford, OG&E.

The wind power produced in northwestern Oklahoma goes through Windspeed to a substation located at 164th Street and Rockwell Avenue in Oklahoma City.

"With the energizing of this line, we'll begin to see more and more renewable energy develop in Oklahoma as wind developers look to build projects and then export that power," Alford said.

OG&E customers will notice about a $1.40 hike on their bill, which goes to paying for the project. However, the investment is expected to come back to customers since companies outside of OG&E will have to pay to use the Windspeed line.

Every OG&E customer is on wind power in some way. Customers can choose to increase how much renewable energy they use by signing up online. Customers can choose to increase participation to 25, 50, or 100 percent.