THOMAS, WV — FPL Energy, LLC, a subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc., Juno Beach, FL, has announced that it will build, own, and operate one of the largest wind energy projects in the eastern United States, the Mountaineer Wind Energy Center, to be located in Tucker and Preston Counties in West Virginia. The project was formerly known as the Backbone Mountain Wind Project.

The Mountaineer Wind Energy Center will be comprised of 44 NEG Micon (Rolling Meadows, IL) 1.5-MW wind turbines spread over a 4,400-acre site on Backbone Mountain near Thomas, WV.

The entire output of the 66-MW wind energy facility will be sold to Exelon Power Team over a 20-year period. Exelon will market the green power to retail customers through a marketing arrangement with Community Energy, Inc. of Wayne, PA.

FPL Energy purchased the project from Atlantic Renewable Energy Corporation of Richmond, VA. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

FPL Energy is a leader in wind energy generation, with 24 wind farms in California, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. The company operates 1,758 MW of wind power and owns 1,423 MW of wind energy facilities.

Publication date: 07/22/2002