By Associated Press - Thursday, March 2, 2017

SPEARVILLE, Kan. (AP) - Westar Energy says its new wind farm near Spearville will allow the utility to provide more than half its annual electricity needs without carbon emissions.

The 280-megawatt Western Plains Wind Farm in Ford County began full operations Wednesday.

The Hutchinson News reports (https://bit.ly/2mJYMcW ) the farm will make about $75 million in lease and other payments to local and county governments in the next 20 years. It also is expected to provide about three dozen permanent jobs.



Besides wind, Westar gets about 20 percent of its emission-less power from the Wolf Creek nuclear plant near Burlington.

Westar owns two other wind farms and buys energy from eight wind farms and a landfill gas generator.

Later this spring, the utility will add a community solar installation in South Hutchinson.

___

Information from: The Hutchinson (Kan.) News, https://www.hutchnews.com

Advertisement

Copyright © 2025 The Washington Times, LLC.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

PIANO END ARTICLE RECO