OREANDA-NEWS. Puget Sound Energy extends service agreement with Vestas for 429 MW of capacity in Washington state.

With reference to Vestas Wind Systems A/S' company announcement No. 5/2015 of 30 January 2015, Vestas has signed a 10-year extension agreement to service the Whiskey Ridge, Wild Horse and Hopkins Ridge wind projects. Located in central Washington, these facilities feature 214 V80-1.8 and 22 V80-2.0 MW turbines. Since their inception, Vestas has serviced all three sites, which later were incorporated into a Master Service Agreement. The new agreement extends Vestas' commitment to the projects through 2025.

A Washington state utility, Puget Sound Energy is the 2nd largest utility owner of wind power in the USA, and the Pacific Northwest's largest utility producer of renewable energy.

Embodying Vestas' more flexible approach to service solutions, the extended service agreement, which covers all three sites, includes a time-based availability guarantee that supports optimal turbine utilisation and productivity. This comprehensive service package includes scheduled preventive maintenance, diagnostic services and unscheduled maintenance, and full component coverage for maximum performance.

"PSE is excited to continue our excellent partnership with Vestas," said John Mannetti, PSE's Director of Wind Resources and Asset Management. "They've serviced these sites from the beginning of our wind program, and we're glad they'll be continuing to work with us as our assets progress through their lifecycle."

"Extending this service contract speaks to the strong partnership between Vestas and Puget Sound Energy. Since 2005, we have provided world-class service for their fleet of Vestas wind turbines," says Chris Brown, President of Vestas' sales and service division in the United States and Canada. "We are proud that Puget Sound Energy continues to trust our dedicated service team to deliver a portfolio management strategy that ensures the greatest long-term optimisation and return on investment for their assets."

Every single day, Vestas wind turbines deliver clean energy that supports the global fight against climate change. Wind power from Vestas' more than 52,700 wind turbines currently reduces carbon emissions by over 60 million tons of CO2 every year, while at the same time building energy security and independence.

Vestas has delivered wind energy in 73 countries, providing jobs for around 19,300 passionate people at our service and project sites, research facilities, factories and offices all over the world. With 52 per cent more megawatts installed than our closest competitor and more than 64 GW of cumulative installed capacity worldwide, Vestas is the world leader in wind energy.

Vestas sold its first wind turbines in the United States in 1980, and established its North America subsidiary the following year. As of the end of Q3 2014, Vestas had installed 11,879 MW in the US. Approximately 3,000 US employees work in our four Colorado factories, in our sales and service headquarters in Portland, Oregon, and at close to 200 wind sites currently under service contract with Vestas.