U.S. Investment Company Puts Its Money on Wind Energy in the West

Colorado billionaire Philip Anschutz is planning a 2,000-megawatt, 100,000-acre wind farm in southern Wyoming and a 3,000-megawatt, 900-mile-long transmission line to bring its power to Southern California, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. His company, Anschutz Corp., has investments in oil and gas already, but this is its first foray into renewable energy. “It’s just a natural thing for a broad-based investment company that has roots in energy to be invested in alternative sources of clean energy,” said a company spokesman. Licensing for the $3 billion transmission project, which cuts through federal land and several states, is expected to take 24 to 36 months; wind farm construction will take another two to four years. One megawatt of wind generation can supply power to 300 homes.