GE bags $1.4 billion turbine supply contract for the world's largest wind farm

General Electric has secured a $1.4-billion contract to supply large turbines for independent power producer Caithness Energy's massive wind farm, billed as the world's largest when completed.

GE said yesterday that it has received the contract from New York-based Caithness to supply 338 of its 2.5xl wind turbines and provide services for an 845 MW Shepherds Flat wind farm project to be located in Oregon, which will supply renewable energy to Southern California Edison for 20 years.

Stretching across 30 square miles of Gilliam and Morrow Counties in north-central Oregon, near the town of Arlington, the $2-billion Shepherds Flat project marks the US debut and largest single global order of GE's 2.5xl wind turbines. A total of 338 large turbines will be installed in 2011 and 2012.

''The Shepherds Flat project will add more renewable energy to the west coast's energy mix and help the region meet its demand for clean energy,'' said Les Gelber, a partner at Caithness Energy.

The Shepherds Flat wind farm will become the first in North America to deploy GE's 2.5xl wind turbine, which has been proven in Europe and Asia.

GE says the 2.5-MW wind turbines utilise its latest of wind turbine technology and works with greater efficiency, reliability and grid connection capabilities. It is built on the model of GE's 1.5-MW wind turbine, the world's most widely deployed wind turbine having installed more than 12,000 around the globe.