U.S., Chinese Partners To Use U.S.–Made Steel

U.S. and Chinese partners building a 615-megawatt wind farm in Texas have agreed to use approximately 50,000 tons of U.S.-made steel products in their project.

America’s largest industrial union, United Steelworkers, became involved in the US$1.5 billion project after Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown complained earlier this year that US$450 million in federal stimulus funds would be going to Chinese sources to supply the West Texas wind farm.

A-Power Energy Generation, which owns Shenyang Power Group, the Chinese partner in the wind farm, is a large wind turbine manufacturer in China.

An agreement was struck between the union and the joint venture developing the project, which also includes U.S. Renewable Energy Group and Austin-based Cielo Wind. Steel for the project will be sourced from various union mills in the U.S., and a new wind turbine assembly plant in Nevada will also supply the Texas wind farm.