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Existing Kansas Wind Farms

(Projects are listed in order of commercial operation)

Operating Kansas Wind Farms (Interactive Map)
Name County Size (MW) Turbine type Turbine Model Year
Gray County Gray 112 Vestas V47 2001
Elk River Butler 150 GE 1.5 2005
Spearville Ford 100 GE 1.5 2006
Smoky Hills, Phase I Lincoln/ Ellsworth 100.8 Vestas V80 Feb. 2008
Smoky Hills, Phase II Lincoln 150 GE 1.5sle Dec. 2008
Meridian Way Cloud 204 Vestas V90 2008
Flat Ridge Barber 100 Clipper Liberty 2009
Central Plains Wichita 99 Vestas V90 2009
Greensburg Kiowa

12.5

 Suzlon   2010
Caney River Elk

200

 Vestas V90 2011
Total  

1,228

      
Kansas Wind Farms Under Construction
Post Rock Ellsworth 201 GE 1.5 2012
Ironwood Ford/Hodgeman 168 Siemens 2.3 2012
Total  

369

      
Kansas Wind Farms With PPA's
Cimarron I Gray 165 Siemens 2.3 2012
Cimarron II Gray 131 Siemens 2.3 2012
Flat Ridge 2 Barber/Kingman/
Sumner/Harper		 419 GE 1.6 2012
Shooting Star Kiowa

105

 NA NA 2012
Spearville 3 Ford

100.8

 GE 1.6 2012
Total  

921

      

Map  Interactive Map of Existing and Proposed wind projects in Kansas (PDF-548 kb), Source: Kansas Energy Information Network, July 2010.

Map of Existing and Proposed wind projects in Kansas (PDF-548 kb), Source: Kansas Energy Information Network, July 2010.

Kansas Commercial Wind Projects Info (PDF),
Source: Kansas Wind Working Group, January 2009.

Kansas Natural Resources Mapper - Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

newSmall Wind Projects in Kansas - Information on smaller (<1 MW) wind projects in Kansas. This is a work in progress.

Westar Wind Farm

Pottawatomie County, Kansas - This project was Kansas' first commercial-scale wind turbines. In 1999, Westar (then Western Resources) erected two 600 KW turbines in the shadow of the Jeffrey Energy Center coal plant. These turbines have recently been dismantled.  One of the two turbines has been donated to Cloud County Community College where it will be inoperational, but used for training technicians.  (October 2009)

Gray County Wind Farm

Gray County, Kansas - Kansas' first large-scale wind farm was erected near the town of Montezuma by FPL Energy (now NextEra Energy Resources) in 2001. It produces 112 MW of electricity from 170 Vestas V-47 wind turbines. Power from this project was originally sold to Aquila, the Kansas portion of the utility was later purchased by the Mid-Kansas Electric Company. MKEC is owned by the same entity that owns Sunflower Electric Power Corp.

Gray County Wind Farm Power Output*
Year kWh Capacity Factor
2002 419,268 42.7%
2003 364,288 37.1%
2004 355,797 36.2%
2005 349,976 35.6%
2006 314,069 32.0%
2007 351,640 35.8%
2008 400,330 40.7%
2009 352,955 35.9%
2010 363,576 37.0%
2011** 217,063 Incomplete
Average 362,690 36.9%

* Data compiled from EIA Form EIA-906, EIA-920, and EIA-923 Data
*Through July 2011.

Elk River Wind Project

Butler County, Kansas - Kansas' largest wind farm. This 150 MW wind farm came on-line in December 2005.  A project of Elk River Wind Farm LLC of Larkspur, CA. HMH Energy Resources of Larkspur, Calif. and Greenlight Energy, Inc. of Charlottesville, Virginia  co-developed the project and sold it to PPM Energy, Inc. (Now Iberdrola Renewables) of Portland, OR.  The 100 GE 1.5 MW wind turbines are located several miles South of Beaumont.

On Dec. 13, 2004, it was announced that Empire District Electric utility of Joplin, MO, had contracted with PPM Energy, Inc. to buy 150 MW of electricity from Elk River.

Originally, the Butler County Planning Commission approved the project 5-2 at their Jan. 7, 2003 meeting. The Butler County Commission approved the project, 3-2, at their Jan. 28 meeting. On Nov. 24, 2003, a judge ordered a new vote on the project after throwing out the County Commission's previous decision. On Dec. 16, 2003 the Commission took another vote and approved the project 3-2. (May 2006)

Elk River Wind Farm Power Output*
Year Generation Capacity
Factor
2006 526,295 40.1%
2007 495,081 37.7%
2008 579,260 44.1%
2009 560,194 42.6%
2010 560,194 38.9%
2011** 368,494 Incomplete
Average 535,160 40.7%

* Data compiled from EIA Form EIA-906, EIA-920, and EIA-923 Data
**Through July 2011.

Spearville Wind Project

Ford County, Kansas - A project of enXco that is 100.5 MW in size, located north of Hwy 50/56 near Spearville. The Ford Co. Zoning Board approved the project 5-0 on August 25, 2003. The Ford County Commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit and development plan for the project on September 15, 2003. It was announced on December 13, 2005, that enXco would develop and construct the project and utility Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L) would own it. The project consists of 67 GE 1.5 MW wind turbines with construction beginning  in April 2006 and finished in August 2006 with the formal dedication in October 2006. (Aug. 31, 2006)

Spearville Wind Farm Power Output*
Year Generation Capacity
Factor
2006** 105,939 Incomplete
2007 304,714 34.6%
2008 415,327 47.2%
2009 353,724 40.2%
2010 365,800 41.6%
2011+ 336,211 Incomplete
Average 350,722 39.8%

* Data compiled from EIA Form EIA-906, EIA-920, and EIA-923 Data
** Partial data, Aug. through Dec.
+Through July 2011.

Smoky Hills Wind Farm

Ellsworth/Lincoln Counties, Kansas - A project of Lenexa-based TradeWind Energy and Enel North America is located on the Ellsworth-Lincoln County line. The project involves more than 12,000 acres and could be expanded up to 20,000 acres. Phase I of this project went on-line in January 2008 using 56 Vestas V80 turbines (1.8 MW). Phase II went on-line later at the end of 2008 (commercially on-line in early 2009) with 99 GE 1.5 MW turbines. Total project size is around 250 MW.

Buyers of the power from the project include Sunflower Electric of Hays, Midwest Energy (Hays) and Kansas City Board of Public Utilities. Roughly one-third of the turbines went off-line in Dec. 2008 after a transformer failed.  Upon replacement of the failed transformer in May 2009, the entire wind farm was back on-line. (July 2009)

Meridian Way Wind Farm

Cloud County, Kansas - A project of Horizon Wind Energy of Houston, Texas. Phase I and Phase II of the project went on-line in 2008.  Both phases of the project involve Vestas V90 3.0 MW turbines.  Phase I involves 35 turbines and 105 MW, which is sold to Empire District Electric Co. of Joplin, Missouri and Phase II involves 32 turbines and 96 MW of power sold to Westar Energy of Topeka. (March 2009)

Meridian Way Wind Farm Power Output*
Year Generation Capacity
Factor
2008** 41,212 Incomplete
2009 496,696 28.2%
2010 591,491 33.6%
2011+ 356,499 Incomplete
Average 543,562 30.9%

* Data compiled from EIA Form EIA-906, EIA-920, and EIA-923 Data
** Partial data, for December only.
+Through July 2011.

Flat Ridge Wind Farm

Barber County, Kansas - A 100 MW wind project with possible expansion to 250 MW.  This project was developed by BP Wind Power and the first 100 MW has been contracted to Westar Energy with both BP and Westar each owning 50% of the project. Construction began in 2008 and commercial operation began in March 2009.  The wind farm consists of 40 Clipper 2.5 MW turbines.  There were some problems with the blades that required repair three months after commercial operation.  (October 2009)

Flat Ridge Wind Farm Power Output*
Year Generation Capacity
Factor
2009** 160,641 Incomplete
2010 368,389 42.1%
2011+ 106,134 Incomplete
Average 288,345 32.9%

* Data compiled from EIA Form EIA-906, EIA-920, and EIA-923 Data
** Partial data, April through Dec.
+Through April 2011.

Central Plains Wind Farm

Wichita County, Kansas - This project was originally proposed as the Sunflower Wind project in 2002-3 for 60-75 wind turbines by wind developer RES Americas and Sunflower Electric Power Corp. utility. In July 2006, it was announced that the project was shelved. In 2007, it was announced that this project was to be built and sold to Westar Energy with construction slated for 2008 and operation for early 2009.  The project is 99 MW in size and uses 33 Vestas V90 (3.0 MW) turbines. (March 2009)

Central Plains Wind Farm Power Output*
Year Generation Capacity
Factor
2009** 198,724 Incomplete
2010 296,511 34.2%
2011+ 179,862 Incomplete
Average 285,608 32.9%

* Data compiled from EIA Form EIA-906, EIA-920, and EIA-923 Data
** Partial data, April through Dec.
+Through April 2011.

Greensburg Wind Project

Kiowa County, Kansas - A 12.5 MW project of John Deere Renewables, the City of Greensburg, and the Kansas Power Pool. This project was announced in April 2009. It achieved commercial operation in 2010. (August 2011)

Caney River Wind Project

Elk County, Kansas - A project developed by TradeWind Energy of Lenexa, KS and owned by Enel Green Power North America of Spain, the Caney River wind project is located 10 miles west of Howard. It was announced in October 2010 that 200 MW of power from this project will be sold to the Tennessee Valley Authority under a 20 year power purchase agreement.  Construction on this project began in May 2011.  It interconnects with a 345 kV transmission line in Elk County and will have 111 Vestas V90 1.8-MW wind turbines, covering 14,000 acres. Total announced cost of the project is $350 million.  The project came on-line in December 2011.
(January 2012)

Kansas Wind Projects Under Construction

Spearville II Wind Project

Ford County, Kansas - KCPL is adding a 100-MW expansion at Spearville by the end of 2010, pending regulatory approval, and have already received some/all of the turbine parts.  Word from Western Kansas is that over half of the 67 GE 1.5 MW turbines were constructed by mid-October, 2010. This has not been confirmed, however. (October 2010)

Post Rock Wind Project

Ellsworth & Lincoln Counties, Kansas - This project was originally developed by Hilliard Energy and later bought by the Wind Capital Group. The project will consist of 134 GE 1.5 wind turbines for a total of 201 MW. Construction began in in late 2011 by RMT and is to be completed in 2012. Power from this wind farm will be purchased by Westar Energy via a 20 year PPA. The project will be spread over 23,000 acres and will generate $643,000 in payments in lieu of taxes for the first ten years to the local community. (January 2012)

Ironwood Wind project

Ford & Hodgeman Counties, Kansas - Infinity Wind Energy of Santa Barbara, California developed a project of up to 500 MW planned in NE corner of Ford County and extending into the SE corner of Hodgeman County. In early 2010, Westar Energy agreed to buy up to 500 MW, then issued and RFP to have the project built. In December 2010, Westar announced that Duke Energy Generation Services, a subsidiary of Duke Energy of Charlotte, N.C., will build a 168-megawatt wind farm on the Ironwood site.
Construction is expected to commence in 2011 with the wind farm being in service by the end of 2012.
In August 2010, the project received Conditional Use Permits from the Ford County Commission.  In May 2011, Duke Energy announced they would use 73 Siemens 2.3 MW turbines, the nacelles of which will be manufactured in Hutchinson, Ks. (May 2011)

Proposed Kansas Wind Projects

(Projects are listed alphabetically by county)

Deer Creek Wind Project

Anderson County, Kansas - A 200 MW proposed project of TradeWind Energy of Lenexa, KS. This project is located in Southeastern Anderson County.  (July 2009)

Flat Ridge 2 Wind Projects

Baber, Harper, Kingman, & Sumner Counties, Kansas - BP Wind announced in October 2011 that they will build Flat Ridge 2 wind farm, which will be the state's largest wind farm. The 419 MW project will use 262 GE 1.6-100 wind turbines and span 66,000 acres in Barber, Harper, Kingman and Sumner counties. An on-line date of Fall 2012 is anticipated. Associated Electric Cooperative will buy 3/4's of the power.

In January 2012, BP announced it had secured financing through Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, a subsidiary of San Diego-based Sempra Energy, for this wind farm and another in Pennsylvania. (January 2012)

Barton County Wind Projects

Barton County, Kansas - Two projects are proposed in Barton County, one for 150 MW and the other for 199.5 MW - both with a proposed on-line date of September 2011. Both projects are in the SPP interconnection queue. No other details are currently known. (March 2009)

Leon Wind Project

Butler County, Kansas - A proposed joint project of Kansas Wind Power LLC (now TradeWind Energy), a Kansas-based company with offices in Lawrence and Overland Park, and Padoma Wind Power of La Jolla, CA. The plan was for 68 wind turbines to be located 3.5 miles south of Leon, 30 miles east of Wichita. Butler County Planning Commission approved the project 6-0. The County Commission denied permission for this project, 4-1. A lawsuit was filed to challenge this decision, though by 2005, it appears this project is dead. (2006)

Rosalia Wind Project

Butler County, Kansas - A proposed 73 turbine project of Zilkha Renewable Energy (now Horizon Wind Energy) to be located East of Rosalia, on either side of US-54. The project proposal  was withdrawn and is currently on hold and probably dead. (2006)

Chase County Wind Project

Chase County, Kansas - A project of FPL Energy of Juno Beach, FL. Few details of the project were reported, though the project was originally planned to be built in Southern Chase County as early as Fall 2004.  This project is located in Gov. Sebelius' "Heart of the Flint Hills" area, and is presumably dead until a new administration is in office. See the September 2 newspaper article in the Chase County Leader-News (PDF - 1.7 MB) for more. The Oct. 4, 2004 Wichita Eagle reported that FPL has shelved the plans for this project for now. (2005)

Cheyenne County Wind Project

Cheyenne County, Kansas - A project of Sunflower Wind LLC, which is proposing a 50 MW wind farm with 4-megawatt hydrogen generation plant and a 5- to 25-MW methane-powered generator to provide power when the wind isn't blowing. Sunflower Wind also has projects near Oberlin and Sharon Springs, KS. (August 25, 2007)
It is not known by KEIN if this project is still viable. (Oct. 2009)

Cimarron Bend Wind Project

Clark County, Kansas - It's possible there may be more than one project in Clark County. TradeWind Energy of Lenexa, KS lists the Cimarron Bend Wind Project as 600 MW on their project description (see below). In 2008, a 1,000 MW wind projects applied for interconnection with the Southwest Power Pool (SPP). The request was later withdrawn. Originally, this project had a proposed on-line date of 2012. 
In 2011, a 180 MW project for Clark County entered the SPP interconnection queue with a proposed on-line date of Oct 2014. These may or may not all be the same project.
(Sept. 2011)

Waverly Wind Project

Coffey County, Kansas - Two 100 MW wind projects applied for interconnection with SPP in Fall 2008 and three 102 MW projects applied for interconnection in Fall 2009 located near the town of Waverly. It is possible that these are all projects of Horizon Wind Energy, which has applied for permits for over 200 permits from FAA. This may be one big project or several multi-phase projects. (Jan. 2010)

In total, there are six Coffey County wind projects in the SPP queue. A 100.8 MW and 200 MW project have entered the queue in 2010. If these are related projects or not to the Horizon Wind projects is not currently known by KEIN. (April 2010)

Elk River II Wind Project

Cowley and Elk Counties, Kansas - Originally proposed by Greenlight Energy, Inc. of Charlottesville, Virginia, This is now a project of BP Alternative Energy, which bought out Greenlight. The project could have as many as 167 wind turbines generating up to 300 MW of electricity.  Two-thirds of the turbines are planned for Cowley County and will be located in the Northeast corner of the county. Both Cowley and Elk Counties are unzoned. This project entered the SPP interconnection queue in 2004, has a fully executed Interconnection Agreement and is on Suspension. (Oct. 2009)

Decatur County wind project

Decatur County, Kansas - A project of Sunflower Wind was proposed 50 MW of wind power to the City of Oberlin on a Right of First Refusal basis in Aug. 2007. An additional 5 MW of hydrogen power and 5-25 MW of methane back-up generation was also proposed. Power was offered to the City of Oberlin at 9.1 cents per kwh over 20 years in a contract that was to replace the city's contract with Sunflower Electric (not related to Sunflower Wind). The city considered the offer, but ultimately rejected it by the end of Dec. 2007. No more is known by KEIN at this point about the current viability of this project.  (October 2009)

Hays Wind Project

Ellis County, Kansas - Originally, a proposed 100-200 MW project of Distributed Generation Systems, Inc. (DISGEN) of Evergreen, Colorado, which was bought out by CPV Wind, which was bought out by Iberdrola Renewable Energies USA of Spain. This project has run into some controversy in Ellis County (see news below), but the project appears to still be viable. The project received a Conditional Use Permit in April 2010 and has been marketing the project to utilities.

In May 2009, Hays Wind LLC entered into a PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) agreement that pays the county $3,000/MW for the first two years of operation and $4,000/MW annually after that, with an escalator. (April 2011)

NE Ellis County Wind Project

Ellis County, Kansas - A project of TradeWind Energy. This project is early in the process and going through zoning to install Met Towers. Plans are for at least 150 MW.
(January 2009)

Ellis County Wind Project

Ellis County, Kansas - A 100-400 MW project of Invenergy to be located North of Hays, between Hays and Ellis.  In November 2010, the wind developer, along with dozens of landowners, filed suit against Ellis County, due to restrictive setbacks. This lawsuit was dismissed by plaintiffs in April 2011 when the county revised the setbacks.
(April 2011)

newEdwards County Wind Project

Edwards County, Kansas - A feasibility study was requested for a 73 MW project in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) in the Summer of 2011 (Study #GEN-2011-038). This project has a proposed on-line date of December 2013.
No further information is known about this project at this time.
(Sept. 2011)

Butterfield Wind Project

Ellis County, Kansas - The Butterfield wind project is located in Southwest Ellis County and is organized by the Bannister Brothers, on behalf of area landowners.
(April 2011)

Finney County Wind Project

Finney County, Kansas - A 405 MW project is being studied in Finney County. This project entered the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue for a feasibility study in early 2008 with a proposed on-line date of December 2012. This may be a project of Chermac Energy of Oklahoma, which is studying a large project in southern Finney County. No further information is known at this time. (March 2010)

Western Trail Wind project

Ford and Kiowa Counties, Kansas - A 400 MW project of Horizon Wind Energy located south of Bucklin.  Phase I of the project has already received a Conditional Use Permit from Ford County, though no timeline has been set for construction. This project will be located in Ford and Kiowa Counties. (October 2009)

newSpearville 3 wind project

Ford County, Kansas - A 100.8 MW wind farm announced by enXco. EnXco has entered into a 20 year PPA with Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L) of Kansas City, Mo. that will consist of 72 GE 1.6 xle wind turbines. Construction is anticipated to commence in Q1 2012 with an on-line date of Q4 2012. (January 2012)

Ford County wind projects

Ford County, Kansas - Multiple Ford County wind projects entered the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue for feasibility studies in late 2009. At least four projects sized at 102 MW with on-line dates of 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 were proposed. A separate 100 MW project with an on-line date of Dec. 2011 was also proposed. These projects may be different phases of the Ironwood project. No further information is known at this time. (January 2010)

Geary County Wind Ranch

Geary County, Kansas - This 150 MW project of Distributed Generation Systems, Inc. (DISGEN) of Evergreen, Colorado was first proposed in 2005.  This project is in the "Heart of the Flint Hills" area, as designated by Topeka politicos.  The current viability of this project is not known, nor is it known who, if anybody, is still in charge of project development (see Ellis County Wind project for info on developer situation). (March 2009)

Graham County Wind Project

Graham County, Kansas - A 100 MW project is being studied in Graham County. This project entered the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue for a feasibility study in December 2009 with a proposed on-line date of January 2011. No further information is known at this time. (January 2010)

CPV Cimarron REC Wind project

Gray County, Kansas - CPV Renewable Energy agreed to a 20 year power purchase agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority for 165 MW from the Cimarron Wind project.  In January 2012, it was announced that CPV had secured $262.8 million financing from Coordinating Lead Arrangers Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ and Union Bank of California as well as Mandated Lead Arrangers Helaba, Siemens Financial Services and Lloyds for Cimmaron I. The project is being constructed by Wanzak Construction and will be operated by North American Energy Services. A commercial on-line date of  November 2012 is expected. (January 2012)

 In May 2011 it was announced that KCP&L will purchase an additional 131 MW from a portion of this wind farm they're calling Cimarron II. Construction is expected to begin in Fall 2011 with the project coming on-line by Summer 2012. The entire wind farm is capable of producing up to 500 MW. (July 2011)

Zephyr Wind project

Gray, Ford, & Finney Counties, Kansas - Zephyr Wind Power LLC of Cimarron, Kansas is working on a potentially large project that could extend into these three counties. This project may be early in the development phase. No more info is known about this project. (March 2010)

Bear Creek Wind Project

Hamilton County, Kansas - A 135 MW project is being studied in Hamilton County by Acciona Energy. This project entered the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue for a feasibility study in March 2007 and has an expected on-line date of November 2008. The Interconnection Agreement for this project is fully executable and the project is considered on schedule according to the SPP queue. Also, the Hamilton County Commissioners have approved this project. (October 2009)

Harper County Wind Project

Harper County, Kansas - A 300 MW project in Harper County entered the DISIS stage of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue in Q1 2010. It has a proposed on-line date of December 2012. No further information is known at this time. (March 2010)

Buffalo Dunes County Wind Project

Haskell, Grant & Finney County, Kansas - This is a 300 MW project of TradeWind Energy of Lenexa, KS. This project first entered the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue for a feasibility study in December 2009 with a proposed on-line date of October 2012 and at a size of 100.5 MW. This study was later withdrawn and in 2010 a new study request entered the SPP queue for 300 MW.  The Facility Study for this project was released in June 2011.

The project plans to have it's own substation in Grant County and interconnect with the Finney Switchyard substation near Holcomb.
(Sept. 2011)

Hodgeman County Wind Project

Hodgeman County, Kansas - A 200.1 MW wind project entered the SPP queue in April 2010. This project could be affiliated with the Ironwood wind project (see Ford & Hodgeman Counties) or an independent one.  Nothing more is known about this project at this time. (April 2010)

Shooting Star Wind Project

Kiowa County, Kansas - A 105 MW project that was orginally developed by Clipper Windpower Inc. of Carpinteria, CA, but now owned by Infinity Wind Power of Santa Barbara, CA. The project was first proposed as early as 2002, South of Mullinville with plans to use 42 of the 2.5 MW Clipper Windpower C-93 wind turbines. It apparently made the short list for Westar's Spring 2007 RFP, but was not selected.  In September 2011 Sunflower Electric announced they had agreed to a power purchase agreement with Infinity for 104 MW.
The project is expected to come on-line by late 2012. (September 2011)

Lyon County Wind Project

Lyon County, Kansas - RES Americas proposes a project in east Lyon County, south and west of Reading, that will encompass up to 25,000 acres and produce as much as 250 MW of power. (March 2009)

Doyle North 1 & 2 Wind Project

Marion County, Kansas - Windborne Energy of rural Florence, KS proposes two projects in Marion County. Doyle North 1, which received a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) from the Marion County Commission in November 2010, could see up to 79 turbines and 200 MW. Doyle North 2 will be located mostly west and southwest of the original project and will have room for 20 turbines and up to 60 MW. The Marion County Planning Commission approved this project in Sept. 2011 and the County Commission approved a conditional use permit on Oct. 10, 2011. A payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) was approved that is equivalent to $4000 per MW installed.
To date, no power purchase agreement has been announced and there is no date for construction. (October 2011)

Marshall County Wind Projects

Marshall County, Kansas - A 91 MW project has applied for interconnection in Marshall County in 2009 with a proposed on-line date of December 2012.

At least three wind developers have shown interest in Marshall County and RPMA Great Plains Wind Development has installed a Met Tower near Summerfield. KEIN is not sure who's project is in the SPP queue at this time. (September 2009)

Eagle Rock Wind Farm

McPherson County, Kansas - A proposed project of Gamesa Energía Southwest, an Austin, Texas based subsidiary of the Spanish Company Gamesa Energía. The project is planned for the Northeastern part of the county and could be between 100-150 MW. McPherson County passed wind turbine siting guidelines in Nov. 2005, which are available here. These guidelines were later revised. This project met more than a little controversy in 2005-2006 and it's current viability is not currently known. (March 2009)

Cimarron Wind Project

Meade & Seward Counties, Kansas - Tulsa-based Energy for Generations and California-based Sustainable Legacy are working on a project that could be as much as 1,000 MW large in the NE part of Seward County with some turbines in Meade County. This project received approval by the Seward County Administration in April 2010.

Plans are for the project to have 400 2.5 MW turbines. Construction is planned for 2010.

In late 2008, an 800 MW project applied for interconnection through the Southwest Power Pool in Seward County. It's not known if the is the same project. In Spring 2010, a 900 MW wind project filed for interconnection with SPP, which is likely the same as referenced above.  (May 2010)

Munkers Creek Windfarm

Morris Counties, Kansas - A 100-200 MW project proposed by juwi Wind (formerly JW Prairie Wind Power LLC) near Alta Vista. The Wabaunsee County Commission issued a decision on June 28, 2004 that effectively prevented construction of wind farms in the county.  This project also fell within the "Heart of the Flint Hills" (PDF, 1.7 MB)  area, where Governor Kathleen Sebelius' discouraged wind farm development as well as Gov. Brownbacks "Tallgrass Heartland" area, that expanded the area in the Flint Hills area that strongly discourages wind energy development.  This project is effectively dead.  (Sept. 2011)

Nemaha County Wind Project

Nemaha County, Kansas - A 129 MW project of juwi Wind (formerly JW Prairie Wind Power LLC) in Nemaha County. This project entered the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue for a feasibility study in March 2007. Plans are to use 86 GE 1.5 MW turbines. (July 2009)

Ness County Wind Project

Ness County, Kansas - A 199.5 MW project is being studied in Ness County. This project entered the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue for a feasibility study in March 2009 with a proposed on-line date of September 2009. No further information is known at this time. (March 2009)

Pioneer Wind Project

Pawnee County, Kansas - A 76 MW project is being studied in Pawnee County by Pacific Winds Energy. No further information is known at this time.  In 2009, a 72 MW wind project entered the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue for Pawnee County, but was later withdrawn.  In 2010, a 180 MW project entered the SPP queue, which may be a combined project with the Revolution Wind project listed below.  This study (#GEN-2010-061) is still active and in the PISIS stage as of the date below.
No further information is known about this project at this time. (Sept. 2011)

Revolution Wind Project

Pawnee County, Kansas - A 105 MW project is being studied in Pawnee County by Pacific Winds Energy. This project entered the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue for a feasibility study in 2008. No further information is known at this time. (Nov. 2008)

Pratt County Wind Project

Pratt County, Kansas - A 150 MW wind project is being studied in Pratt County. This is probably a project of Indeck Energy, which is planning to develop a wind energy farm in Pratt County but will likely move the location after running into some airspace issues with the Pratt Airport Authority. (Jan. 2009)









Rawlins County Wind Project

Rawlins County, Kansas - A 467.5 MW project is being developed in Rawlins County by Danken Energy (DKE) of Pensacola, Florida. This project entered the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue for a feasibility study in October 2009, completed and passed preliminary interconnect system impact study and is entering into its Definitive study. DKE has completed its’ wind data assessment requirements as well all FAA, DOT and County requirements. Additional power purchase agreements to complete this facility are currently being sought.
(March 2010)

Reno County Wind Project

Reno County, Kansas - Horizon Wind Energy recently announced that they were abandoning a 100 MW project in Southeastern Reno County near Cheney Reservoir. They cited that they could not compete with other forms of land-use, particularly new housing developments. (July 2010)

Rush County Wind Project

Rush County, Kansas - Three wind projects have been proposed in Rush County. A 19.5 MW project and 49.5 MW project both requested feasibility studies for interconnection with the  Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue in April 2009. The request for the smaller project was later withdrawn. Later in 2009, three separate 102 MW project requested feasibility studies. No further information is known at this time. (December 2009)

British Pastures Wind Project

Riley County, Kansas - A proposed project of Orion Energy of Oakland, CA. Many of Orion Energy's project's were sold to BP Energy, though the status of this one is unknown by KEIN.  The project is planned in SE Riley County and was subjected to a moratorium on wind farm applications in Riley County through Oct. 7, 2004. Having weathered that, perhaps, it has failed to gain any traction since the Governor's "Heart of the Flint Hills" ruling, which includes this project by 5-10 miles.

Rooks County Wind Projects

Rooks County, Kansas - A 50 MW project has applied for interconnection in Rooks County in 2009 with a proposed on-line date of July 2011. This appears to be a project of ICG Aeolian Energy, which has currently installed three meteorological towers southwest of Stockton. (March 2009)

CPV Keystone REC Wind Project

Scott County, Kansas - CPV Renewable Energy notes on it's web-site that the CPV Keystone REC project may be as large as 500 MW. In 2008, four projects applied for interconnection with the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) with project sizes of 300 MW, two 161 MW projects, and 179 MW.

It is possible that more than one developer is active in Scott County. (Oct. 2010)

newVan Gogh Wind Project

Scott County, Kansas - A 60 MW project is being studied in Scott County by Pacific Winds Energy. No further information is known at this time. (Sept. 2011)

Sherman County Community Wind Project

Sherman County, Kansas - ReNewable Energy Resources, a wind energy development company out of Tennessee, announced in Feb. 2005, that they would build a 10-turbine, 6 MW wind project 10 miles southwest of Goodland using NEPC India wind turbines. Originally, this project was scheduled to break ground in Summer 2005 and be completed by November with the City of Goodland purchasing some of the power and a group of irrigators purchasing the rest. However, due to delays the size of the project was downgraded to 4 turbines generating 3 MW for the city of Goodland by Summer 2006 using wind turbines from Denmark. Seeing that 2006 is but a memory and this project is still not built, it's not known what the prospects are for this project and whether those Danish turbines are still sitting on a dock in Texas. (March 2009)

Sherman County Wind Project

Sherman County, Kansas - Several wind projects are in various stages of study in Sherman County.  An 81 MW wind farm is being proposed for Sherman County, southwest of the city of Goodland by Competitive Power Ventures of Lakewood, Colorado.  This project was unsuccessful in a response to the Sunflower Electric RFP, that was issued in August 2006.  Many of CPV's projects were bought out by Iberdrola in 2007(see Ellis County Wind), so this may be an Iberdrola project now. Originally proposed for an on-line date of Aug. 2008, this project has a fully executed Interconnection Agreement and is on Suspension. (Oct. 2009)

Another  project, size unknown, is proposed by Airstream Energy in the Western part of the County.  A third project is being studied by TGP-Flying Cloud holdings along the Colorado border. The proposed on-line date of these projects is not known. (March 2010)

Smith County Wind Project

Smith County, Kansas - A 300 MW project applied for interconnection with the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) in mid-2008 for Smith County, with an on-line date of November 2011. This request was later withdrawn. No other information is known about the project at this time. (October 2009)

Conestoga Winds

Stevens County, Kansas - A project of HMH Energy Resources of Larkspur, CA that was first proposed as early as 2005. The project has been proposed for up to 200 MW. Of this, 50 MW were recently proposed to Springfield City Utilities in an October 2005 RFP. Not much else is known at this time.

Sumner County Wind Project

Sumner County, Kansas - In May 2007, a State Representative from Wellington (D- Wetta) noted that "Westar Energy is considering building a wind farm along the eastern edge of Sumner County to supply power lines in Lincoln County." This project may be as large as 200 MW.  A similar sized project entered the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue in 2008. In August 2009, a 60 meter meteorological tower was put up with two more planned.  This wind farm plans to have 85 to 110 wind turbines over 10,500 acres.  It is possible that the project in the SPP queue is different than the one that just installed the met towers. (August 2009)

Solomon Forks wind project

Thomas County, Kansas - A wind farm originally proposed by Air Stream Energy of Scottsdale, Arizona and currently involving Acciona Energy as well. This project was originally planned to be 130 MW, but is now listed as 108 MW and is located between the towns of Colby and Mingo in Thomas County. This project was proposed to Westar Energy Request for Proposals in April 2007. The fact sheet (see below) says construction will begin in early 2009. No word of whether this is on schedule or not. Also, Airstream appears to have a second project in Thomas County called Great Plains Wind Ranch.  Some of the articles below may refer to that project. 

A December 2011 article in the Colby Free Press notes that a Acciona Energy's 72 turbine project in the southern part of Thomas County is getting close to construction.  (January 2012)

Wichita County Wind

Wichita County, Kansas - The Wind Capital Group has received an FAA permit to install a met tower in Wichita County, near Leoti.
Nothing more is known at this time. (January 2010)

Municipalities Wind Project

Several Towns - A project proposed by Kansas Wind Power LLC (now TradeWind Energy), where ten or more municipalities would have a relatively small number of wind turbines (10-20), rather than one huge wind farm.  By "spreading the wealth", multiple small projects can achieve the same scale of economy as a larger project, but without the limitations of transmission constraints.  Cities and towns that were approached (as reported in local newspapers) include Anthony, Augusta,  Coffeyville, Greensburg, Herington, Hoisington, Larned, La Crosse, Lincoln,  Russell, and Winfield. Not much has been said about these projects in several years and they may be shelved.  (March 2009)

Elk City Wind Project

Elk City, Wilson County, Kansas - A 200 MW wind project is proposed near Elk City. It's not known at this time which county this project is in - could be Wilson, Chautauqua, or Elk. This project entered the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) queue for feasibility studies in April 2009. No more information is known at this time. (April 2009)

Other Regional Wind Projects

Other regional wind projects - Information on wind projects in  Missouri and Nebraska. (KEIN)

 		  

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