Phase 1 of the Biglow Canyon Wind Farm now operational
The Biglow Canyon Wind Farm is a wind power project PGE is building in three phases that is expected to produce enough electricity to power about 100,000 homes. PGE brought the first phase fully online December 2007 with 76 turbines able to generate up to 125 MW, enough to power approximately 34,000 homes.
For more information on phase 1, see Biglow Facts and our press release.
Phases 2 and 3 are slated for completion by the end of 2009 and 2010, respectively. They are expected to bring the project's total generating capacity to between 400 MW and 450 MW.
The Biglow site is located about 140 miles east of Portland in Sherman County and is PGE's first wholly owned and operated wind farm. Part of the cost of the project is being offset by the Energy Trust of Oregon, Inc., which is contributing $6 million.
Creating more than just power
In addition to generating power for PGE customers, the wind farm is expected to create jobs, provide income for local businesses, generate future tax revenues and provide easement payments to landowners.
The Biglow Canyon project was developed by Orion Energy LLC and is being built by PGE, which will own and operate the project.
If you ’re planning a visit to the site, see Directions to Biglow.
PGE’s renewable power leadership
PGE’s leadership in renewable power began in the late 1990s. Today, the company leads the nation in kilowatt hours of green power sold to residential customers, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Other leadership highlights:
- 1998 – PGE agrees to purchase the entire output of Oregon’s first major wind farm, Vansycle Ridge, in Umatilla County, Oregon
- 1999 – PGE becomes one of the first utilities to offer a renewable power product to customers
- 2005 – PGE begins purchasing the entire output of the new Klondike II Wind Farm, located in Sherman County
- 2006 – PGE named “Green Power Program of the Year” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy
- 2007 – PGE ’s largest hydro project, Pelton-Round Butte on the Deschutes River, is officially certified as producing green power
- 2007 – PGE breaks ground on Biglow Canyon Wind Farm
