SMUD: New Wind Turbines Can Power Homes

SMUD: New Wind Turbines Can Power Homes
Turbines Are Largest In North America
POSTED: March 11, 2008

RIO VISTA, Calif. -- The Sacramento Municipal Utility District is moving ahead with its plan to harness the power of wind for its power customers.

Twenty-nine wind turbines were unveiled Tuesday in Rio Vista. At 412 feet tall, they are the largest in North America and can power 1,000 homes without producing any greenhouse gases.

SMUD picked this area because of the constant flow of the Delta breezes during the summer, which also becomes the peak season for power demand.

"We're very hopeful that our customers are supportive of this. One of our goals is to produce 23 percent of our energy from renewable resources by the year 2011," Jon Bertolino from SMUD said.

The district is working on getting another 30 or 40 wind turbines up and running within the next two years.