TRIMONT, Minn.--(Business Wire)--
IBERDROLA RENEWABLES and Great River Energy announced today that
construction has begun on the 99-megawatt Elm Creek Wind Power Project
in southwestern Minnesota. The project, expected to be commercially
operating by the end of the year, will provide enough energy for
29,000 homes each year.
"We are happy to announce a second wind power project using the
same innovative model for landowner revenue participation as our
original Trimont Area Wind Farm," said Neal VonOhlen, chief manager of
the Trimont Area Wind Farm and a local landowner. "Trimont has been
such a success we wanted to do another one as soon as possible."
The Elm Creek and Trimont wind projects provide more benefits to
landowners than the typical wind project. Landowners benefit from
revenue participation as well as from traditional easement payments.
In addition, production tax revenues from the project for Jackson and
Martin counties are expected to range from $350,000-$400,000 annually.
"Property taxes from the Trimont wind farm and now the Elm Creek
project benefit county programs and schools," said Jackson County
Commissioner Roger Ringkob. "The wind projects are not only a good fit
with agriculture in rural Minnesota. They also bring in business to
our local hotels, restaurants and campgrounds."
"In Southern Minnesota, we are showing the rest of the nation what
is possible in renewable energy development," said Congressman Tim
Walz. "With skyrocketing energy prices, it is imperative that we work
together to ensure that our growing wind industry remains strong. In
Congress, I have been a strong advocate of legislation that promotes
wind development and research into other forms of renewable energy."
The Elm Creek wind power project will feature 66 GE 1.5 megawatt
turbines, the same turbines used at the Trimont Area Wind Farm, which
has been in operation since November 2005. As with the Trimont wind
project, IBERDROLA RENEWABLES, formerly PPM Energy, of Portland, Ore.,
developed and will build and operate the new wind farm.
"IBERDROLA RENEWABLES is delighted to again bring construction and
operations jobs to this community," said Tim Seck, director of
development for IBERDROLA RENEWABLES. "We also are glad to once again
provide clean, renewable wind power to Great River Energy and its
members."
"With the addition of the output from Elm Creek Wind Farm, Great
River Energy will have more than 300 megawatts of wind capacity under
contract," said Mark Rathbun, Great River Energy's renewable energy
project leader. "That gives us a great start toward meeting the state
of Minnesota's renewable energy standard."
IBERDROLA RENEWABLES is currently the world's leading provider of
wind power with more than 8,000 MW of wind power in operation globally
now. Between 2008-2012, the company will invest EUR 18.8 billion
globally to achieve installed capacity of close to 18,000 MW and
production of more than 42,000 GWh. IBERDROLA RENEWABLES will invest
$8 billion in the U.S. between 2008 and 2012 and plans to install
1,000 MW of wind power each year in the US. www.iberdrolarenewables.us
Great River Energy, headquartered in Maple Grove, Minn., provides
wholesale electricity to more than 1.7 million people via 28
distribution cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin. With more than
$2.3 billion in assets, Great River Energy is the second largest
utility in the state, based on generating capacity, and the fifth
largest generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative in the United
States. Great River Energy's member cooperatives range from those in
the outer-ring suburbs of the Twin Cities to the Arrowhead region of
Minnesota to the farmland of southwestern Minnesota. Great River
Energy's largest distribution cooperative serves more than 120,000
member-consumers; the smallest serves just over 2,400.
IBERDROLA RENEWABLES
Jan Johnson, 503-796-7070
or
Great River Energy
Therese LaCanne, 763-455-5710
Copyright Business Wire 2008
