Wind Farm to be built in West Texas

Shell WindEnergy and a partner will build a 160-turbine wind farm in West Texas, both companies recently announced.

The project, on a site 90 miles southeast of Lubbock in Scurry and Borden counties, is to be done by year's end.

Shell WindEnergy, which has offices in Houston and La Jolla, California, and is part of Royal Dutch/Shell Group, is constructing the farm in a 50-50 joint venture with Padoma Wind Power of California.

Shell WindEnergy will operate the farm.

Green Mountain Energy Co. and TXU Energy, both Texas companies, have agreed to buy all the farm's electricity.

The 160-megawatt project is expected to generate enough electricity to power about 30,000 homes.

Some of the Mitsubishi turbines will stand 226 feet tall and weigh more than 170 tons.

Others involved include Austin-based Cielo Wind Power and Orion Energy of California, which are the project developers. Shell WindEnergy and Padoma acquired the project this month.

Shell WindEnergy already owns four wind parks in the United States.

Houston Chronicle