WIND PUTS 25% OF POWER, 10 GW, ON MIDWEST GRID

Wind power output tops 10,000 MW in U.S. Midwest

November 28, 2012 (Reuters)

“Wind power output in the U.S. Midwest electrical grid surpassed 10,000 megawatts (MW) for the first time on Nov. 23, representing more than 25 percent of the generation being used at that time.

“MISO manages more than 11,000 MW of installed wind generation in service, with more than 7,000 MW of projects under construction or development…[One megawatt] powers about 300 homes.”

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“Wind capacity in the MISO footprint has grown dramatically since 2006, when the grid began integrating wind into its market operations…[U]tilities are buying more wind to meet consumer demand for cleaner energy and because several states require power companies to acquire some of their energy from renewable sources.

“MISO serves 11 U.S. Midwest states and the province of Manitoba in Canada…The biggest power companies in MISO include units of Duke Energy Corp, Xcel Energy Inc, Ameren Corp , Berkshire Hathaway Inc's MidAmerican Energy, DTE Energy Co and CMS Energy Corp…”

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