Exelon exceeds 1 Million MWh wind energy mark

In this Exelon's fifth year in the wind-energy business, the company has provided more than 1 million MWh of emission-free, reliable electricity provided to customers throughout Pennsylvania. Exelon's wind portfolio, currently at 154 MW, provides enough electricity to power about 40,000 homes annually. Exelon has 20-year agreements to purchase the power from Mill Run and Somerset wind farms, located southeast of Pittsburgh, Waymart Wind Energy Center, near Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Mountaineer Wind Energy Center in Thomas, West Virginia.

Since coming online in October 2001, the Mill Run and Somerset wind farms have produced about 250,000 MWh of emission-free electricity, or enough electricity to supply more than 25,000 average homes. Mountaineer began commercial operations in January 2003 and has produced about 500,000 MWh (enough for 50,000 homes) since then. Waymart came online at the end of 2003 and has produced about 300,000 MWh (enough for 30,000 homes) since then. In addition to residential customer interest in wind energy, commercial customers in Pennsylvania have accounted for some of the largest wind energy purchases in the nation. In 2001, the University of Pennsylvania, Penn State University, Carnegie Mellon University, Philadelphia Suburban Water Corporation and Giant Eagle announced the nation's five largest retail wind energy purchases.

Since 2001, commercial customers such as the US Army, US Environmental Protection Agency, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and many others have declared their support for wind energy by purchasing power from Pennsylvania wind farms. "The magnitude of voluntary customer demand for wind-generated electricity has been gratifying to us. The customers' willingness to pay a premium for wind energy has supported not only new construction of wind plants, but also our involvement in the wholesale marketing of wind energy," said Mike Freeman, mid-market originator for Exelon Power Team. "That's exactly the way renewable energy markets are supposed to work."