The Tennessee Valley Authority this week said it had earned national recognition for its wind power program.
In November, TVA was named “Utility of the Year” by the American Wind Energy Association, a press release said. The AWEA presents the award each year to the U.S. electric utility that has done the most to advance wind power’s growth through its actions.
TVA added 1,100 megawatts of wind energy capacity from seven wind power sites in 2012, including in Kansas, Illinois, and Iowa. TVA now has 10 contracts with nine wind farms delivering more than 1,500 megawatts of energy, a press release said.
“We’re confident that wind power will continue to demonstrate its value, effectiveness and potential in the years to come,” said Patty West, director of TVA Renewable Energy Programs.
“We honor TVA with this award to recognize its accomplishments for wind power in general and how it has achieved these results in a way that benefits other utilities and the entire wind energy industry,” said Denise Bode, CEO of AWEA.
Wind expansion also helped TVA in July be named one of the “Most Innovative Utilities in Renewable Integration” by Fierce Energy, a daily energy market newsletter distributed to more than 10,000 energy industry executives around the world. The distinction recognizes TVA’s national leadership to address challenges such as intermittency and congestion and boost regional markets for wind power.
The press release said wind energy contracts are an important part of TVA’s renewable energy portfolio, which totals more than 6,300 megawatts of operating or committed energy capacity from hydro, wind, solar, and biomass. TVA’s site at Buffalo Mountain north of Oak Ridge became the first commercial wind farm in the Southeast in 2000 and provides 27 megawatts of capacity.
To learn more about TVA wind power contracts, visit http://www.tva.com/power/wind_purchases.htm.
TVA is a government-owned corporation that provides electricity to nine million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA also provides flood control, navigation, and land management for the Tennessee River system, and assists utilities and state and local governments with economic development.
Leave a Reply