T. Boone Pickens cuts GE wind turbine order in half

DALLAS — T. Boone Pickens cut his massive order for wind turbines from General Electric in half.

The energy investor, who made wind power a key part
of his plan to wean Americans off of foreign oil, said Tuesday that he
will now take delivery of 300 turbines. He will use the turbines for
wind farms in Canada and Minnesota.

Pickens said none of the turbines will go to the Texas Panhandle, where he originally planned to use all of the windmills for the world’s largest wind farm. He said Texas will still lack transmission lines to carry the power when he begins to take delivery of the turbines in 2011.

Pickens said he will build a wind farm in the Panhandle when transmission is built.

Pickens said part of the reason wind has become less
important to him is the drop in natural gas prices. Natural gas-fired
power plants have become so cheap to operate, that other types of
plants have been displaced.

Pickens had said in the past that it was tough to
finance wind projects, but he said Tuesday he has financing for his
wind farms.

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