Southwestern Electric Power Co. is now using wind power to deliver electricity to customers in Arkansas and Louisiana through "the largest single wind farm ever built at once in North America."
The 998-megawatt Traverse Wind Energy Center is located in north-central Oklahoma and began providing energy on Monday, the company said.
"This wind energy helps customers meet their own renewable energy and sustainability goals and makes the communities we serve in Louisiana and Arkansas more competitive for economic development," SWEPCO President and Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Smoak said in a statement.
Traverse is the third and final wind project in the North Central Energy Facilities initiative in Oklahoma that will provide 1,484 megawatts of clean energy -- enough to power 440,000 homes. SWEPCO owns 54.5% of the project. Company officials say the wind facilities are expected to save customers about $2 billion in electricity costs over the next 30 years.