PRPA brings Roundhouse wind project onto the power network

FORT COLLINS — Wind power from the 225-megawatt Roundhouse Wind Energy Center located north of the Colorado-Wyoming border is now part of the electrical power mix delivered by the Platte River Power Authority to its member cities.

The additional renewable power means PRPA now generates about 50% of its electricity from noncarbon sources.

The project began after Platte River’s board directed staff to add new wind power capacity to the public power provider’s portfolio mid-2017. Roundhouse nearly triples the amount of wind power Platte River delivers to its owner communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland. While the original agreement called for 150 megawatts of energy, Platte River committed to acquire the remaining 75 megawatts in June 2019. 

“We’re pleased to take yet another step toward achieving our noncarbon energy goals. We appreciate our partnership with NextEra Energy and the opportunity to deliver more noncarbon energy to our owner communities,” Jason Frisbie, general manager and CEO of Platte River, said in a press release. 

The project is located 10 miles north of Platte River’s Rawhide Energy Station and extends over approximately 20,000 acres. The site features 82 General Electric wind turbines, capable of producing up to 225 MW of output and is estimated to produce enough energy to power approximately 100,000 homes per year. The project is owned by a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources LLC, which acquired early stage development rights for a portion of the project from a joint venture of Enyo Renewable Energy and MAP Renewable Energy. 

A 230-kilovolt generator outlet that will be purchased by Platte River carries power from the Roundhouse project to a transmission interconnection at the Rawhide Energy Station. Ownership of the transmission line ensures exclusive energy delivery to Platte River’s owner communities through the duration of the 22-year power purchase agreement. 

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