By Kari Williamson

The wind project will consist of 58 Vestas V100 1.8 MW wind turbines between State Route 195 and the town of Oakesdale.

Construction is expected to be completed by November and it will be online and operating by the end of the year, First Wind says.

“Celebrating our first project in Washington state makes this an exceptional day for First Wind, and we are as grateful to our supporters throughout Whitman County and the state that were integral in bringing the area’s largest renewable energy facility to life,” says Paul Gaynor, CEO of First Wind.

“In addition to representing a major source of clean energy for years to come, we are also making a major investment in the economic future of the region with US$30 million of direct spending planned during construction and an additional US$1.5m each year once the project achieves commercial operations.”

Avista Corporation will purchase the energy produced by the Palouse Wind project and will take delivery of the power through a direct interconnect to the Avista 230 kV Benewah-to-Shawnee transmission line.