Smoky Hills Wind Farm

Sunflower Electric is one of three utilities to purchase power from the Smoky Hills Wind Farm. The wind farm, which is located approximately 20 miles west of Salina, boasts 155 turbines that are capable of producing 250 megawatts of power.

The addition of this wind energy is expected to offset 10 million tons of C02 from other conventional generating resources over the next 10 years.

Phase 1 of the project began construction in March 2007 and was brought online in February 2008. Phase II was completed in November 2008. At the time of completion, the Smoky Hills Wind Farm was the largest wind farm of its kind in Kansas with more than 100 landowners and 20,000 acres of land involved in the project.

The project owner is Italian-based utility Enel. Tradewind Energy, a Midwest leader in wind energy, was the project developer. Sunflower Electric purchases 74 megawatts of project output when at full load.