Clearway Energy Group announced that its 115 MW, 23-turbine Black Rock wind farm in West Virginia has reached commercial operations. The wind farm will boost the state’s wind energy generation by 15%.
The wind farm spans Grant and Mineral counties. It can generate enough electricity to power 55,000 West Virginia homes annually. Black Rock is contracted under long-term power purchase agreements with Toyota Motor North America and AEP Energy Partners, a division of utility American Electric Power.
Clearway CEO Craig Cornelius said, “We’re proud that Clearway is leading the growth of renewable energy in West Virginia and supporting local jobs and investments in one of the country’s fastest-growing industries. Black Rock is our third wind farm to expand the Mountain State’s clean energy workforce and drive significant local spending and taxes. We thank Toyota, AEP Energy Partners, and all our partners for bringing Black Rock to life. We also extend our gratitude to Governor Jim Justice and state elected officials who worked hand in hand to ensure this wind farm will generate long-term benefits for local communities and beyond.”
Toyota Motor North America’s Chief Administrative Officer Chris Reynolds said, “Toyota is making significant investments in and aggressively pursuing environmental technologies to achieve our goal of carbon neutrality at our manufacturing facilities by 2035.”
“AEP Energy Partners is proud to provide customers with integrated, carbon-free energy that fulfills their sustainability goals, delivers long-term price stability and benefits the environment. Our partnership with Clearway Energy Group demonstrates our commitment to the development of new renewable resources that both empower local communities and support a cleaner, brighter energy future,” said Greg Hall, executive vice president, Energy Supply, AEP.
During the construction phase, Black Rock created over 200 union jobs and nearly 12 permanent operations jobs. These included hiring graduates through its partnership with the Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College and recruiting workers, who were displaced from the coal industry.
Additionally, Clearway established the Black Rock Community Benefit Fund, which will donate $50,000 to local non-profits each year.
Last year, Clearway spent more than $460 million to develop and repower wind projects in West Virginia. Its 550 MW portfolio includes 120 MW of wind farm which is still under development.
