Arizona Utility Makes Plans For State’s First Commercial Wind Farm

Arizona utilities are required to generate 1.1 percent of their power from renewable energy sources by 2007. To meet this requirement, APS, the state’s largest utility, is building Arizona’s first commercial wind power plant. The utility will partner with Western Wind Energy Corp. to construct the Eastern Arizona Wind Energy Center near the New Mexico border. The facility will feature 10 1.5MW wind turbines. Construction will begin in September, and the plant will begin producing power by the end of 2004.