Spanish Wind Energy Company Will Open in Philadelphia

PECO Energy and its parent, Exelon Corporation, applauded Gamesa Corporation for its decision to base its East Coast development office and U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia this week.

PECO President Denis O'Brien said Gamesa's decision will expand the availability of renewable energy in the MidAtlantic marketplace and indicates the growing viability of wind as an energy choice for consumers.

"PECO and Exelon have believed in renewable energy for several years, and we fully support efforts to bring more renewable construction to the state. Having one of the world's industry leaders invest locally is wonderful news for our region," O'Brien said.

In May, PECO became Pennsylvania's first utility to offer a wind energy product. Through its marketing partner Community Energy Inc., PECO WIND is offered in 100 kilowatt hour (kwh) blocks for an additional $2.50 monthly fee.

A consumer who buys wind energy supports an environmentally friendly power generation source, and already several thousand residential customers in the region purchase PECO WIND, as well as prominent local businesses and institutions.

Exelon is the largest wholesale marketer of wind power east of the Mississippi with about 160 megawatts (mw) of wind power and a total of 355 mw of renewable energy under contract. Exelon has long-term power purchase agreements for the energy produced at four wind farms - three in Pennsylvania (Somerset, Fayette and Wayne counties) and one in West Virginia.

Complementing Exelon's wind agreements, Exelon Generation owns and operates a Bucks County landfill gas facility, an environmentally friendly form of power generation that utilizes landfill gas to generate electricity.

9/24/2004