On March 21, 2022, American Electric Power (AEP) announced that its 998 MW Traverse Wind Energy Center in north central Oklahoma went online, becoming North America’s largest wind farm built at one time.[1] The project is now providing clean energy to customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. The Traverse Wind Energy Center consists of 356 turbines and is expected to generate 3.8 million MWh annually for AEP subsidiaries Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) and Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO). The project is the final addition to the three-part North Central Energy Facilities, which will generate a total of 1,484 MW of clean energy and could result in $3 billion in electricity cost savings over the next 30 years. Sundance and Maverick, the other two facilities, began commercial operation in 2021. The projects represent a $2 billion investment and are a major part of the $8.2 billion in regulated renewables AEP plans to deploy by 2026. The projects are also part of the approximately 16,000 MW of wind and solar that AEP plans to roll out by 2030 as it strives to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. AEP also plans to invest nearly $25 billion pumped into its transmission and distribution systems for modernization.

[1] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/traverse-wind-energy-center-begins-delivering-savings-to-customers-301506631.html