Called the Shepherd’s Flat Wind Farm, it covers about 32,000 acres in Gilliam and Morrow counties. GE says it will provide 338 turbines that will produce about 845 megawatts of power. Construction is expected to take place in 2011 and 2012. GE adds this is the single largest order ever for its turbines.

Shepherd’s Flat is being developed by Caithness Energy of New York, which in recent years has become focused on building mostly renewable energy projects.

When Oregon approved the site certificate in July of 2008, Shepherd’s Flat was described as the “biggest” wind farm in the world. GE repeated that claim in its press release on Thursday. That may be an exaggeration. Caithness describes the project as the “largest” in Oregon. And the American Wind Energy Association calls it the biggest in the United States.

Too bad the power it generates isn’t staying here in Oregon. A month after getting the site certificate, Caithness signed a 20 year deal to sell the power to Southern California Edison.