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Special to the Guymon Daily Herald
With increased wind energy development popping up everywhere in the Panhandle region, developers and prospective developers are approaching land owners in a frenzy for land not seen since the Oklahoma land run! Before any landowners sign an agreement, they should hear from the experts first. Learn more about scheduled wind development, get your questions answered and find out what is in your best interest. Featured speakers include Shannon Ferrel, assistant professor in the OSU Department of Agricultural Economics, where he specializes in Agricultural Law. He grew up on a cattle and wheat operation in Leedey, Okla., and obtained his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Agricultural Economics from OSU before obtaining his Juris Doctorate from the Oklahoma City University School of Law. Shannon spend a number of years in private practice, focusing on environmental and corporate law, before joining OSU in the summer of 2007. While in private practice, Shannon was a founding member of his firm’s Renewable Energy Practice Group and served as president of the Oklahoma Renewable Energy Council for 2006. Since joining OSU, he has made several presentations regarding wind energy issues, and has authored a number of popular press articles on wind energy leasing. Another featured presenter is Jesse B. Langston, vice president of Utility Commercial Operations for OGE Electric Services. His areas of responsibility include customer service, sales, field services, resource planning and business development. Jesse has been employed by OG&E since 1985, with over 20 years of experience in the electric utility industry in various areas including corporate distribution system design. Jesse has led a number of significant initiatives within OG&E, including acquisition of the McClain Power Plant and the recent acquisition of the Centennial Wind Farm (a 120MW facility which began commercial operations in January 2007). He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University and a MBA from Oklahoma City University. Other presenters and panelists include Zac Perkins, customer service manager for Tri-County Electric Cooperative. Zac will be available to answer questions on the local electrical infrastructure and the role they will play as your local provider. Jay Lobit with Great Plains Windpower will discuss existing and pending area projects and be available for questions as part of the panel. Shawn Lepard with Lepard Consulting will educate landowners on how to research a company to identify their wind development history and ability. Also sitting on the panel for questions is a local, rural land owner, Steve Long, to give his view of the experience and the process. Facilitating the event is PREDCI Executive Director Betty Viljoen. The Wind Energy Conference was organized at the request of various members of the PREDCI organization and will be held on Thursday, Jan. 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pickle Creek banquet hall in Guymon. The Wind Energy Conference is sponsored in part by Tri-County Electric Coop and OG&E Electric Services and will be offered free of charge to land owners in the Tri-County Electric Cooperative Service area. A minimal fee of $25 will be charged for all others. Registration is required by Jan. 28 and a barbecue lunch is included. To register, call PREDCI at 580-338-8500, email
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or online at www.predci.com.
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