The Foote Creek Rim wind project is Wyoming’s first commercial facility to generate electricity from wind. Located near Arlington, it began commercial operation on Earth Day, April 22, 1999.

Project Location
Foote Creek Rim is a remote, treeless plateau between Laramie and Rawlins in southeastern Wyoming. The flat rimrock is one of the windiest places in America, with average winds speeds of 25 mph -- 25 to 70 percent faster than other good wind sites. Strong, steady winds mean that the Wyoming Wind Energy Project can provide power more reliably than almost any other wind farm in the country, delivering an average of 43 percent of its peak power year-round.

In addition to strong winds, Foote Creek Rim has some of the most extreme temperatures of any area in the country, with winter temperatures falling as low as 30 degrees below zero. Many of the Northwest’s best wind sites are located in similar areas, so scientists are watching the Foote Creek project to learn more about operating wind farms in high-altitude, cold-weather environments.

The land around the wind farm’s towers is primarily owned by ranchers or the federal Bureau of Land Management, and 99 percent of it can continue to be used for grazing, even as the project generates electricity.

Project Description
The original Wyoming Wind Project has an output of more than 85 megawatts of electricity, enough for about 27,000 average Northwest homes.

Electronic control systems point each turbine into the wind and adjust the pitch of the blades to make the best use of wind at any speed. The turbines can generate power at wind speeds of 8-65 mph. At higher speeds the turbines automatically shut down--a feature which allows them to withstand Wyoming’s 125-mph gusts. The turbines are also adapted to operate reliably in extremely cold conditions.

SeaWest WindPower Inc. and Tomen Power Corp., both based in San Diego, California, built the original project.

Environmental Effects
Independent consultants conducted a year-long study to find ways to minimize the environmental impacts of the Wyoming wind project, and studies are continuing while the project operates. Several steps were taken to protect birds and wildlife: The wind farm uses tubular towers and buried cables instead of lattice bases and pole-mounted cables, in order to avoid adding new perching places for birds. The large turbines turn slowly and the blades are coated with ultraviolet-reflecting paint to make them more visible to birds. The project site was also moved away from the edge of the rim, in order to avoid areas of high bird use, and it was adjusted to accommodate Native American cultural concerns.

As a clean power source, the wind farm eliminates some of the need for fossil fuel electric plants in the region. The wind farm produces no air emissions, and if coal or natural gas were used to generate the same amount of power, they would emit 150,000-380,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, as well as air pollutants and acid rain precursors.

Economic Profile
26 megawatts of the Wyoming wind project are owned by PacifiCorp (one of the largest Northwestern electric utilities) and the rest is owned by the Eugene Water and Electric Board. 25 megawatts are also owned by Cinergy Global Power, which sells the output to Excel Energy, a Colorado energy provider. Another 34 megawatts of power are sold to the Bonneville Power Administration, which uses it for system diversity and sales to other Northwestern utilities. The project pays substantial taxes to the county and state, most of which will be used for education. The project generates power for 3.8-4.5 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Of related interest:

RNP was at Foote Creek Rim's opening ceremony. See our photos.

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