Dive Summary:

• Lea County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) has constructed a 47-MW natural gas based generation facility that has the capability to utilize about 27 MW of energy from an interconnected wind project.
• LECE describes this interconnected system as the nation’s first between wind and the technology utilized as its new facility.
• The 27 MW of green energy supplied by the wind project will help the co-op meet New Mexico’s upcoming renewable portfolio standard, which will be mandated at five percent in 2015 and increase to 10 percent in 2020.

From the article:

Lea County Electric Cooperative built a 47-megawatt natural gas-based generation facility with the flexibility to utilize approximately 27 MW of energy from an interconnected wind project.

This tie-in, which the Lovington-based co-op describes as the first in the nation between wind and the Wärtsilä technology utilized at its new facility, has been recognized as a “Top Plant” by POWER Magazine. ...