Wind Farms in Oregon Begin Repowering

You may think of repowering as a weekend away, a spa day, or just a really good nap. In the energy world, repowering refers to upgrading components of an electrical generation facility in order to increase capacity and/or make a facility more efficient. These upgrades can also extend the life of an energy facility.

Some of the first wind farms to join the Oregon landscape are beginning to show their age. Repowering turbines with newer components – longer and lighter blades, new gearboxes, and other technologically advanced equipment – will make the turbines more efficient and able to generate energy at lower wind speeds.

Four wind farms under state jurisdiction in Oregon – the Stateline Wind Project (approved for construction in 2001) and Shepherds Flats North, South, and Central (2008) – have all been approved for repowering recently by the Energy Facility Siting Council. Some smaller wind projects approved at the county level in Oregon will also be repowered.

To learn more about these state-jurisdiction energy facilities, please go to our website: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-safety/facilities/Pages/Facilities-Under-EFSC.aspx