Governors' Wind Energy Coalition

MidAmerican Energy Co. has agreed to purchase from Terra-Gen Power LLC two wind projects that are still under construction about 120 miles north of Los Angeles.

The two projects would generate 300 megawatts of peak electric capacity, enough to meet the demand of about 80,000 homes. They will be part of the larger Alta Wind Energy Center in Tehachapi, Calif.

The terms of the sale were not made public.

MidAmerican announced yesterday it will sell power to Southern California Edison under long-term power purchase agreements.

Wind developers are rushing to get wind projects going so they qualify for the federal production tax credit that is expected to be cut after Dec. 31. Without the subsidy, wind project construction is expected to slow down, at least until power prices begin to increase (AP/Fuel Fix, Sept. 30). —