Lower Snake River Wind Energy Project
New PSE wind project to benefit southeast Washington
The Lower Snake River Wind Energy Project is PSE’s proposed new wind energy facility in Washington’s Columbia and Garfield counties. The project builds on the success of PSE’s Hopkins Ridge Wind Facility, located in Columbia County, and the contribution it makes to the local economy and renewable energy.
The conditional use permit (CUP) filed in Garfield County in early 2009 anticipates approximately 800 MW of wind energy and approximately 444 wind turbines in Garfield County. Under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), the project’s environmental impact statement will also consider additional wind energy resources of approximately 632 MW and approximately 351 wind turbines in Columbia County, where a CUP is expected to be filed later in 2009. Final installed energy capacity and turbine layouts will be determined through the state and county permitting processes, and complete evaluation of the available wind resources and environmental impacts.
The project will be built in phases, with construction on support infrastructure targeted to begin in 2010. Initial development was conducted under a partnership between PSE and RES Americas, Inc., with PSE becoming the project’s sole owner in August 2009. RES Americas will remain a project team member, serving as construction contractor.