Installation of the wind turbines is scheduled to begin in early summer 2016, with the start of operations expected by early 2017. The service and maintenance provided by Siemens will include the company’s advanced remote monitoring and diagnostics.

The blades for this project will be manufactured at the Siemens blade facility in Fort Madison, Iowa. The nacelles will be assembled at the Siemens facility in Hutchinson, Kansas. Siemens’ 300,000 square-foot Hutchinson factory recently celebrated its five-year anniversary of nacelle production. To date, workers at the facility have produced more than 2,640 G2 nacelles, supporting wind power generation across the United States. Kansas is a national leader in wind power, with wind generating enough electricity to power nearly one million homes.

"We are proud that workers at our factories in Kansas and Iowa will produce the nacelles and blades for this project, supporting the development of reliable, sustainable and affordable power generation in Kansas. We welcome the opportunity to work with Westar Energy on this project, as wind power becomes an increasingly important part of America’s energy mix," said Jacob Andersen, CEO Onshore Americas, Siemens Wind Power and Renewables Division.

The 280-MW project is expected to create enough clean energy to power approximately 100,000 average U.S. homes annually. The project will feature Siemens SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines, each with a power rating of 2.3 megawatts (MW) and 53 meter blades.

The Siemens SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines are part of the company’s G2 platform of onshore geared products – the workhorse of Siemens’-installed portfolio with rotor diameters optimized for all wind conditions. The G2 platform features highly-engineered, designed and manufactured components, exceptional reliability and low operational costs for an optimized return on investment.

With over 5,000 Siemens wind turbines installed in the U.S., capable of producing clean, renewable power for more than 2.5 million households every day, Siemens has made a significant commitment to wind energy in America.