Vestas has received a 150 MW wind turbines order out of a master supply agreement (MSA) with First Wind for multiple wind-energy projects in the United States. Vestas could ultimately supply First Wind with up to 568 MW worth of additional wind turbines for multiple wind farm projects.
As part of the MSA, Vestas will supply 75 V110-2.0 MW turbines to the 150 MW Route 66 wind-energy project near Amarillo, Texas. Deliveries are expected to occur for Route 66 in early 2015 with commissioning in mid-2015.
“We began working with First Wind a few years ago and have developed a strong partnership with one of the leading U.S. energy developers,” said Chris Brown, President of Vestas’ sales and service division in the United States and Canada. “The first project we did with them in Maine has achieved 99 per cent availability since it was commissioned last year. We’re confident we can continue that kind of success with our proven products and services.”
Vestas’ factories in Colorado will be involved in manufacturing blades, nacelles and towers for the Route 66 project.
“We've been pleased with the performance of the Vestas equipment we've had operating since 2012,” said Paul Gaynor, CEO of First Wind. “Vestas has been a good partner and we're looking forward to installing their latest technology at sites across the country."
The First Wind projects in the MSA will feature 10-year service agreements using Active Output Management (AOM) 5000. AOM 5000 is an energy-based availability guarantee that ensures the turbines are operational when the wind is blowing. This service option includes the VestasOnline® surveillance system that remotely controls and monitors the turbines supports preventive maintenance practices that minimize turbine downtime.
Vestas has previously supplied turbines to First Wind for two projects – Palouse Wind in eastern Washington which includes 58 V100-1.8 MW turbines and Bull Hill in Maine which has 19 V100-1.8 MW. Both wind power plants were commissioned in 2012.
To meet customer demand, Vestas is adding more workers at three of its Colorado factories – the blade factory in Windsor as well as the blade and nacelle factories in Brighton. Vestas is recruiting now and expects to add hundreds of production workers in the first half of 2014 in Windsor and Brighton, primarily at the two blade factories
Since 1979, Vestas has supplied more than 50,000 wind turbines and over 58 GW in 73 countries – 62 percent more than its closest competitor. Vestas entered the U.S. market in 1981, selling its first wind turbine for a project in California. Since then, the company has delivered 12,396 turbines to the United States and 1,419 to Canada. Combined, Vestas’ installed capacity is 13,387 MW in 28 U.S. states and every Canadian province – enough to power about four million households. Vestas employs about 16,000 people worldwide including 2,500 throughout the United States and Canada at four manufacturing facilities in Colorado, service and construction sites, and sales offices. Vestas’ U.S. and Canadian sales and service headquarters is in Portland, Ore., and its global headquarters is in Aarhus, Denmark.
First Wind is an independent North American renewable energy company focused on the development, financing, construction, ownership and operation of utility-scale power projects in the United States. Based in Boston, First Wind has developed and operates 980 MW of generating capacity at 16 wind-energy projects in Maine, New York, Vermont, Utah, Washington and Hawaii.
| Customer: | First Wind |
| Project name: | The Route 66 wind power plant |
| Location/Country: | Texas, USA |
| Number of MW: | 150 MW |
| Number of turbines/turbine type | 75 x V110-2.0 MW turbines |
| Contract type: | Supply-only |
| Contract scope: | The order includes supply and commissioning of the wind turbines, as well as a 10-year Active Output Management (AOM) 5000 service agreement. |
| Time of delivery | Deliveries for the Route 66 wind power plant are expected to take place in early 2015 with commissioning to take place in mid-2015. |
Total year-to-date announced order intake in MW: 5,028 MW