Constellation repowers western Maryland wind project as part of $350M renewables investment

Baltimore-based energy provider Constellation is improving the efficiency and increasing the output of its Criterion wind project in Oakland and extending the life of the facility for 20 years, a move that will deliver more carbon-free electricity to the region and launch a $350 million effort to increase the output and lifespan of the company’s renewable energy portfolio.

Over the course of this fleetwide project, Constellation’s repowering efforts will enable 315 megawatts of its existing carbon-free wind fleet to generate greater output at the same wind conditions.

The Criterion wind project is the latest in a series of investments Constellation has made to lead the nation’s response to the climate crisis and help Maryland and other states accelerate clean-energy growth initiatives and achieve the aggressive environmental goals set forth by the Maryland General Assembly and the Moore administration. Constellation operates 27 wind projects that are capable of producing about 1,400 megawatts of electricity.

In addition to the significant investment in Maryland in recent months, Constellation has announced the acquisition of a 44% ownership stake in the South Texas Project nuclear plant, an intent to seek license renewal at its Clinton and Dresden nuclear plants in Illinois, and an $800 million uprate project at the Braidwood and Byron nuclear facilities in Illinois. In addition, Constellation recently began producing hydrogen at the nation’s first one-megawatt nuclear-powered clean hydrogen facility in upstate New York, and set an industry record for blending high concentrations of hydrogen with natural gas to lower emissions at its Hillabee Generating Station in Alabama.

Construction at the Criterion wind project is underway with the installation of new, high-efficiency rotors, turbine blades and generators at the 28-unit site. The older turbine blades and equipment will be recycled. The power generated at the wind project will continue to be sold to Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC). The project is expected to be completed before year end.

Constellation employs about 3,200 employees and contractors in Maryland and is the state’s largest producer of carbon-free energy. Through its Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Plant in Calvert County, the Conowingo Dam along the Susquehanna River, and three wind farms in western Maryland, Constellation produces approximately 90 percent of Maryland’s carbon-free energy. In 2022, the company and its employees contributed $3.3 million to Maryland nonprofits and volunteered more than 21,000 hours.