Cherryland Electric Cooperative is expanding its renewable energy portfolio thanks to a new deal involving its power supplier.

Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative announced Thursday it's entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement with Exelon Generation for 153 megawatts (MW) of new wind generation in Michigan. The wind power will be supplied from the Michigan Wind 3 project, to be located in Sanilac County. Exelon is scheduled to begin construction on the project in spring 2016 and begin commercial operation by December 2016.

“With the addition of this project, Cherryland will get 30 percent of its energy from renewable sources, giving us the largest renewable energy portfolio of any utility in our region by early 2017,” says Cherryland's General Manager Tony Anderson.

Wolverine currently receives approximately 50 MW of wind energy from the Harvest Wind Farm located between Elkton and Pigeon. Wolverine will also receive 150 MW of wind energy from the new Deerfield Wind Energy project located in Huron County when it achieves commercial operation in late 2016. The addition of the Michigan Wind 3 project will make the Wolverine family of co-ops "the renewable energy leaders in Michigan," according to a company release.