Wind provides alternative energy for Westar
Submitted by admin on October 21, 2008 - 9:08am
Publication Source:
The Salina Journal
Date:
10/21/08
The cheapest way for Westar Electric to add new generating capacity is with wind, a corporate executive told members of the Salina Rotary Monday.
“Wind does have a place in anybody’s portfolio,” said Greg Greenwood. “If customers’ demand for electricity continues to grow, we’re going to need new resources.”
During the debates earlier this year over the proposal for two new coal-fired power plants in Holcomb the claim was frequently made that Kansas needs new, inexpensive coal-generated power.
In fact, Kansas has an electricity surplus: in 2007, Kansas power plants generated 20 percent more electricity than the state’s residents used; the surplus was used by retail customers outside the state.
Greenwood said Monday that Westar’s cost to produce electricity — most of its generation is from coal, with a sizable chunk coming from the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant — is about 3.5 cents per kilowatt hour. The cost per kilowatt hour of power from a new coal-fired power plant would be more than 5 cents.
Westar has a 20-year contract to buy wind energy for 4.1 cents per kilowatt hour.
Greenwood reminded the audience that wind does have other issues.
