As we’ve been reporting lately in Colorado Energy News, the wind industry is experiencing its slowest business year since 2007, and Colorado-based companies have not been immune to the downturn.

Locally, however, the news in recent weeks for Vestas is much more positive as the company announced it’s received an order for 79 wind turbines, capable of generating 142 megawatts of power, from Capital Power Corp.  All three of Vestas’ plants in Colorado its blade plant in Windsor, a nacelles plant in Brighton, and a towers plant in Pueblo — will get work from the order, according to a Vestas spokeswoman.

What’s more, dozens of turbines will be built by Vestas for the 250-megawatt Cedar Point wind project east of Denver which RES Americas sold to Enbridge late last month.

The earlier announcement involves equipment for a wind farm in British Columbia. Capital Power (TSE: CPX) is based in Edmonton, Alberta, ordered 44 V100-1.8 megawatt turbines and another 35 V90-1.8 megawatt turbines for the proposed Quality Wind Project, Vestas said.  Delivery is scheduled for 2012 and the order includes a 10-year service and maintenance agreement, according to the Denmark-based manufacturer.

Capital Power also placed an option-order for an additional 163 turbines for the Nanticoke Wind and Port Dover projects in Ontario and 150 turbines for the proposed Kingsbridge II Project, also in Ontario. These additional projects are awaiting environmental and regulatory approvals, and if that happens, and they go forward, Vestas would deliver a total of 287 turbines to Capital Power.

“These turbine agreements with Vestas represent a significant milestone as the majority of the capital costs for the projects are now fixed, providing cost certainty and capitalizing on economies of scale,” said Capital Power President and CEO, Brian Vaasjo.

The Quality Wind Project, including turbines, design and other work, will cost a total of about $455 million Canadian, (roughly $437.8 million U.S., according to Capital Power.