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Puget Sound Energy in western Washington says it wants at least 150 MW of installed wind capacity as a result of its latest all-source solicitation released in February for 355 average megawatts (aMW) of energy. For wind, 150 MW of installed capacity equals about 50 aMW. After narrowing the field in May from 50 to seven, the utility says it expects to sign agreements this month and at least one will be from wind, says the utility's Tim Bader. Wind projects are some of the most competitive of energy resources out there, he adds. Three of the projects on the short list are wind, all in Washington. Two of them are in Kittitas County, east of the Cascade Mountains, including Enxco's 150 MW Desert Claim project and Zilkha Renewable Energy's 150 MW Kittitas Valley project. The third, also 150 MW, is proposed by the UK's RES North America for Columbia County. Bader says Puget is considering either power purchase agreements or ownership. However the agreement is structured, the utility wants the plant online by 2006. The utility is seeking the energy to meet load growth and to replace retiring contracts.