The largest wind energy system in the U.S.—a 2,000 MW wind farm—is expected to be fully operational by mid-2020.

GE Renewable Energy and Invenergy, the largest independent, privately-held renewable energy company in GE’s 2.5 MW turbine. Image credit: General ElectricNorth America, announced plans for the Wind Catcher facility in the Oklahoma panhandle. The wind farm will generate electricity from 800 state-of-the-art GE 2.5 MW turbines, becoming the second largest in the world.

The project is part of the $4.5 billion Wind Catcher Energy Connection that also includes an approximately 350-mile dedicated, extra-high voltage power line. American Electric Power (AEP) utility subsidiaries Public Service Co. of Oklahoma (PSO) and Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) are asking utility regulators in Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma to approve plans to purchase the wind farm from Invenergy upon completion of construction and to build the power line to serve PSO and SWEPCO’s more than 1.1 million customers.

The development is projected to save SWEPCO and PSO customers more than $7 billion, net of cost, over 25 years. AEP estimates that the project will support approximately 4,000 direct and 4,400 indirect jobs annually during construction and 80 permanent jobs once operational. It will also contribute approximately $300 million in property taxes over the life of the project.