The AES Corporation has announced plans to expand its wind generation business into China through the creation of a joint venture with Guohua Energy Investment Co. Ltd.
The joint venture will construct, own and operate a 49.5MW wind farm, which is currently under design and expected to achieve commercial operation in 2009. The wind farm site is located in the Huanghua area of Hebei Province, approximately 200 kilometers southeast of Beijing, and has the potential to generate up to 225MW. The Hebei Provincial Power Company will purchase all of the power generated by the facility, as required by the Chinese Renewable Energy Law. AES subsidiary AES Black Sea Holdings BV will own a 49% interest in the joint venture, known as Guohua AES (Huanghua) Wind Power Co. Ltd. The remainder of the joint venture will be owned by Guohua. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Further the company announced the start of commercial operation of its 233MW Buffalo Gap 2 wind farm expansion near Abilene, Texas, USA. This expansion makes the Buffalo Gap wind farm the third largest in the state with a total wind power capacity of 354MW