GE, E.ON to service Texas wind farm

AMARILLO, Texas, July 9 (UPI) -- Subsidiaries of GE and German energy company E.ON announced a joint partnership to operate a 211-megawatt wind farm in the Texas Panhandle.

GE Energy Financial Services formed a 50:50 venture with E.ON Climate and Renewables North America to own and operate the Grandview Phase I wind farm that's under construction near Amarillo, Texas.

The project will use 118 wind turbines designed by GE.

Patrick Woodson, chief executive officer of the German subsidiary, said Grandview will be the company's 19th wind farm in the United States once operations begin in December.

"This is our most energetic project ever built and we are excited to harvest the extraordinary wind resource in this area," he said in a statement.

GE's subsidiary owns about 12 gigawatts worth of wind power in operation or under construction.

Grandview will generate enough energy through wind power to meet the annual energy needs of about 64,000 homes in the area.

Texas is the U.S. leader in installed wind capacity with roughly 12,400 MW on the grid as of the end of 2013.