Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc., a leader in the development, engineering, and construction of wind, solar, transmission, and energy storage projects in North America, recently announced commercial operation of the Keechi Wind Project in Jack County, Texas.
Construction of the 110 MW Keechi Wind Project commenced in December 2013 and commercial operation began on January 23, 2015. Consisting of 55 Vestas V100-2.0 MW turbines, the project created nearly 250 jobs during the peak of construction and nine permanent operations and maintenance jobs. Keechi Wind Project was completed with only one recordable injury accident in over 300,000 man-hours worked, with a Total Recordable Incidence Rate (TRIR) of 0.65. The project will continue to contribute to the local economy in multiple ways, including through a local tax abatement agreement.
"The successful completion of the Keechi wind project included RES Americas self-performing the installation of 55 wind turbines," said Andrew Fowler, Chief Operating Officer of RES Americas. "It was also extremely important to us to work closely with the local community in sourcing labor and materials to construct the project."
Keechi Wind was developed by RES Americas and constructed under a fixed-price, engineering, procurement, and construction agreement and was RES Americas' first project in which it self-performed the turbine installation, positioning the company for further expansion in that space. The project, which is owned by Enbridge, connects to Brazos Electric's Joplin substation via a 12-mile generation tie line.
Vestas will provide turbine operations and maintenance services for the first five years of the project.
The Keechi Wind Project will deliver electricity into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) market, under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Microsoft Corporation.
— Source: RES Americas
