BRUNI, Texas, June 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate
today's Global Wind Day, AT&T* is expanding its renewable
energy program with NextEra Energy Resources. Together, AT&T
and subsidiaries of NextEra Energy Resources will help to deliver
clean energy, create jobs, boost the local economy and support a
low-carbon economy.
During a groundbreaking ceremony in Webb County, Texas for the first
AT&T-backed wind farm project, AT&T announced a new
agreement to purchase 300 megawatts (MW) of wind energy. It also
announced a scholarship program for students interested in pursuing
careers as wind turbine technicians, one of the fastest-growing
jobs in the U.S.1
Delivering renewable energy
AT&T's new power purchase agreement with a subsidiary of
NextEra Energy Resources will deliver 300 additional megawatts (MW)
of renewable energy from two new wind farm projects in Wilbarger and Hardeman Counties, Texas. The new agreement builds on AT&T's
previous investments backing two wind energy centers in
Webb and Duval Counties in Texas and Caddo
County, Oklahoma.
Together, these agreements will deliver 820 MW of wind power,
and constitute one of the largest corporate renewable energy
purchases in the U.S.2 The projects are
expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking
more than 530,000 cars off the road or providing electricity for
more than 372,000 homes per year.3
"We're going big on renewable energy. It's a clean, abundant,
renewable source of home-grown power," said Joe Taylor, vice president of global tech
optimization and implementation, AT&T. "As one of the world's
largest companies, our investments can help scale this critical
energy source for America's transition to a low-carbon
economy."
Creating jobs and community benefits
AT&T's investments in renewable energy will help to
create jobs and economic benefits. NextEra Energy Resources
estimates the AT&T-backed wind farm projects will create as
many as 1,000 construction jobs in Texas and Oklahoma. The projects are also estimated to
generate nearly $190 million in
property tax revenues for local communities and more than
$167 million in lease payments to
landowners.4
"We are pleased to work with AT&T to expand the reach of
renewable energy and provide a significant economic boost to local
communities, both in Texas and
Oklahoma," said Kevin Gildea, NextEra Energy Resources' vice
president of development. "Wind energy is helping drive the clean
energy economy, providing new and exciting job opportunities in
rural communities as well as millions of dollars in additional
revenue with which to help enhance schools, roads and other
essential services."
Supporting students
AT&T-backed wind energy centers will also benefit students
and local communities. During the groundbreaking event, AT&T
announced a $50,000 contribution to
Texas State Technical College (TSTC) to
create the AT&T Wind Energy Scholarship fund. The fund provides
financial assistance for students earning a TSTC wind energy degree
or certificate and is open exclusively to students from counties
with AT&T-backed wind farms (Webb, Duval,
Wilbarger and Hardeman Counties). NextEra Energy Resources
has committed to interview graduates of the TSTC program for future
wind technician positions, as they become available, as well as
internship opportunities.
The scholarship complements a new wind energy program being
established at Webb County Consolidated Independent Schools (WCISD)
and supported by NextEra Energy Resources. Webb CISD is one of the
few high schools in the nation to host its own wind technician
program.5 NextEra Energy Resources also
contributed a wind turbine gear box to the school to help students
with hands-on training.
"We welcome the opportunity to educate, expose, and equip our
students with dynamic skill sets stemming from the benefits of a
career in renewable energy," said Beto
Gonzalez, superintendent of Webb Consolidated Independent
School District. "We are grateful to both NextEra Energy Resources
and AT&T for their generous contributions to establish one of
the nation's first high school wind energy programs and for
creating a new and exciting career path for our students."
AT&T's renewable energy program is a key component of its
10x Carbon Reduction Goal and is part of the company's larger
commitment to the environment. Since 2010, AT&T has put into
place more than 65,000 energy efficiency projects resulting in
annualized savings of $427
million.6 Learn more about AT&T's
commitment to environmental and social responsibility at
att.com/csr
*About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions around the globe connect
with leading entertainment, business, mobile and high speed
internet services. We have the nation's largest and most reliable
network** and the best global coverage of any U.S. wireless
provider. We're one of the world's largest providers of pay TV. We
have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. More
than 3 million companies, from small to large businesses around the
globe, turn to AT&T for our highly secure smart
solutions.
AT&T products and services are provided or offered by
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AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service
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**Coverage not avail. everywhere. Based on overall coverage in
U.S. licensed/roaming areas. Reliability based on voice and data
performance from independent 3rd party data.
About NextEra Energy Resources
NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (together with its affiliated
entities, "NextEra Energy Resources"), is a clean energy leader and
is one of the largest wholesale generators of electric power in the
U.S., with more than 19,000 megawatts of net generating capacity,
primarily in 32 states and Canada
as of year-end 2017. NextEra Energy Resources, together with its
affiliated entities, is the world's largest operator of renewable
energy from the wind and sun. The business operates clean,
emissions-free nuclear power generation facilities in New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin as part of the NextEra Energy
nuclear fleet, which is one of the largest in the United States. NextEra Energy Resources,
LLC is a subsidiary of Juno Beach,
Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more
information, visit www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
About MAP® Energy
MAP® Energy, through a joint venture with Enerverse LLC,
initiated development of the 300 MW Torrecillas project in
Webb and Duval Counties that subsidiaries of NextEra
Energy Resources acquired and will construct, along with the other
three wind projects, in 2018 and 2019. MAP® Energy is a
leading investor in the development of renewable energy projects
and has funded more than 10,000 megawatts of operating wind and
solar generating capacity located across the United States. More information is
available at www.map-energy.com.
1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of
Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Wind Turbine Technicians, on
the Internet at
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/wind-turbine-technicians.htm
2 Business Renewables Center (2017). BRC Deal Tracker.
http://businessrenewables.org/corporate-transactions/
3 EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator:
https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
4 Estimates provided by NextEra Energy Resources.
5 NBC News April 14, 2018
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/workers-are-climbing-wind-turbines-middle-class-n865221
6 AT&T. CSR Website. FAQ - Energy Management (2017).
http://about.att.com/content/csr/home/frequently-requested-info/environment.html
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SOURCE AT&T Inc.; NextEra Energy Resources