First Wind has announced that the construction of the 102 MW Milford Wind Corridor Phase II project has been completed and commercial operations have begun. Located in the counties of Millard and Beaver, Utah, the Milford Phases I and II are the two largest wind energy projects in Utah.

The 102 MW project, which features 68 1.5 MW GE turbines, is located north of the 204 MW Milford Wind Corridor Phase I project (Milford I). At 306 MW, the combined output of Milford I and II has the capacity to generate enough energy to power up to 64,000 homes.

Pursuant to a power purchase agreement with Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA), power generated by Milford II is being supplied to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and Glendale Water and Power. Milford II adds to the already significant renewable energy that is being produced and delivered to Los Angeles, Burbank and Pasadena, California from the Milford I project.

“The Milford II Wind Power Project is an example of LADWP working smarter while boosting the amount of renewable energy provided to customers and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said LADWP General Manager Ronald O. Nichols. “With the completion of this project we ensure the delivery of 102 megawatts of wind power at a set price for the next 20 years.”

RMT, which led the construction of the Milford I project in 2009, again led the construction activities for the Milford II project. Construction on the Milford II project began in the summer of 2010.

The Milford Wind project has been an ongoing source of jobs, business activity, and tax revenue for Millard, Beaver and adjacent counties. Milford II supported about 200 on-site construction jobs during peak months. Additionally, First Wind and RMT hired many Utah-based subcontractors, suppliers and local businesses. The combined 306 MW facility will support 20 full-time, on-site operations and maintenance jobs.

Building on successful financings in Utah and other states, First Wind secured financing for the project through providers. RBS Securities Inc. was the lead arranger and the following banks acted as joint lead arrangers: Banco Espirito Santo S.A. New York Branch, Santander Investment Securities Inc., CoBank, ACB, and SG Americas Securities, LLC.

Creating the clean energy from both the Milford I and Milford II projects requires no use of water. In addition, with an aggregate of 306 MW of clean, wind energy between the two projects, the power produced by Milford Wind is the equivalent of decreasing carbon dioxide emissions by almost 300,000 tons annually, calculated in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (U.S. EPA) Emissions and Generation Resource Integrated Database (E-GRID).