Wind energy blooms

While areas like Winkler, Pecos and Upton counties are seeing wind turbines dotting the landscape, Gary Vest, economic development director for the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, said Ector County could be left behind.

One wind project planned for the county, American Shoreline's 2W Wind Farm, is on hold, Vest said, describing it as on "life support."

Because state law forbids the Ector County Independent School District from lowering its appraised value below $80 million, Vest said less-populated counties have an advantage in attracting wind farms.

"We're probably going to see wind turbines come up all (around) Ector County before you see any in Ector County," he said.

And he said there's nothing ECISD can do about it.

"It would take legislative action to change that," Vest said.

In Winkler County, a wind company would only have to pay taxes to a $10 million school district, Vest said. In Andrews, the price is closer to $20 million.

Meanwhile, Sonny Henderson, who's leasing his ranch near Notrees for Invenergy LLC's Pistol Hill Wind Farm, said he built meteorological towers on his property to see if it would be a good site for wind generation. It's his understanding that the company still plans to start construction there early next year.

Henderson used the research to persuade the company to build there.

He'd hate to see the work go to waste.

"Somebody needs to change the tax laws," Henderson said.

But other parts of the Permian Basin are already benefiting from wind power and expect to see even more revenue now that the Texas Public Utility Commission has approved more transmission capacity.

PECOS COUNTY

With expanded transmission, Pecos County is already starting to see results, said Doug May, Fort Stockton economic development director.

Construction is nearly complete on the first phase of the 50-turbine Sherbino Wind Farm LLC, located off Interstate 10 between Fort Stockton and Iraan, May said. The 150-megawatt project is a joint venture between BP Alternative Energy and NRG Energy.

And now, a tax abatement agreement has been completed to begin phase two of the project, which will add another 150 megawatts.

And with more transmission capacity expected by 2012, May said he's received a request for an application from a second company interested in building a wind farm in the county.

"The only thing keeping it from happening now is the inability to transfer power," he said.

WARD COUNTY

Ward County has attracted the interest of two wind energy companies, Monahans economic development director Morse Haynes said.

While nothing's been leased yet, Haynes said there have been discussions with Venti Energy of Austin and Higher Power Energy of Flower Mound.

"We've identified some areas close to transmission lines," he said. "I guess the next step's to make sure the wind's good enough."

That'll involve constructing a 200-foot meteorological tower to test wind speeds, which Haynes said the county plans to do shortly.

But the city of Monahans is getting a head start, Haynes said. It's building two smaller 50-kilowatt turbines to power its sewer treatment plant.

ANDREWS COUNTY

American Shoreline, which had been looking at building in Ector County, is interested in building in Andrews County, Andrews economic development director Wesley Burnett said.

The project would require tax incentives, Burnett said. An upcoming rollback election on the Andrews Independent School District's tax rate will help determine the fate of the project.

Once Andrews County gets its first wind farm, Burnett expects more to come.

"We've definitely got a lot of potential areas that would be good," he said. "We just need the right mix of investors."

MCCAMEY AREA

The city dubbed the "Wind Energy Capital of Texas" by the Texas Legislature, is hoping to back up that title.

McCamey Mayor Sherry Phillips said she hasn't heard anything from FPL Energy, the Juno Beach, Fla., company that operates 689 windmills at four nearby wind farms - or any other company for that matter. But she's confident there will be more interest in harnessing the wind blowing off area mesas.

"I think as soon as they start the transmission lines, things will start happening," Phillips said.  

WHAT'S HAPPENED?

>> On July 17, the Texas Public Utility Commission approved a $5.75 billion plan to connect power sources in West Texas to the state's large population centers. Wind generation will be given priority on the newly built transmission lines.

>> The plan is expected to take four-to-five years to implement and add about $4 to the typical monthly electric bill.

>> At least seven companies have applied to work on the project including Oncor Electric Delivery, Electric Transmission Texas, AEP Texas Central Company, AEP Texas North Company, the Lower Colorado River Authority, Transmission Service Corp. and Sharyland Utilities.