Groundbreaking set for state's largest wind farm
A ground-breaking ceremony for the state’s largest wind farm is set for Tuesday near Bloomfield in northeast Nebraska.
The Elkhorn Ridge Wind Farm, an 80-megawatt facility planned by Midwest Wind Energy, LLC, and its affiliate Elkhorn Ridge Wind, LCC, will be constructed about 5 miles north of Bloomfield.
When completed, Elkhorn Ridge will be larger than the 60-megawatt Ainsworth Wind Energy facility, owned by the Nebraska Public Power District.
After several months of negotiations, NPPD recently signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Midwest Wind Energy, based in Chicago. Under the terms of the agreement, Elkhorn Ridge Wind will own and operate the $140 million facility and NPPD will buy the electricity.
The wind farm, which is expected to be constructed by the end of this year in order to take advantage of federal renewable energy tax credits, could supply enough electricity to power 25,000 homes for a year. There will be 27 wind turbines at the site.
Gov. Dave Heineman, state Sen. Cap Dierks, representatives from NPPD and Midwest Wind Energy, and local officials will participate in the 2:15 p.m. groundbreaking ceremony.
A 3 p.m. wind celebration will follow at Bloomfield High School.
Officials say the Elkhorn Ridge power purchase agreement between NPPD and Midwest Wind Energy, a private developer, is the first of its kind in Nebraska, a public power state.
The wind farm project is structured to comply with the state’s Rural Community-Based Energy Development Act, which requires that not less than 33 percent of the power purchase agreement payments over the 20-year agreement flow to Nebraska owners.
Another major wind farm is also in the works.
NPPD recently announced that is has reached a 20-year agreement to buy electricity from a private wind energy developer for a 42-megawatt facility called Crofton Hills Wind Farm.
Planned for construction between Crofton and Bloomfield, the wind farm will have 17 turbines. Total cost of the project, which is scheduled to be completed next year, will be about $69 million. The project is being developed by Minnesota-based Juhl Energy Development.
Reach Algis J. Laukaitis at 402-473-7243 or alaukaitis@journalstar.com.
The Elkhorn Ridge Wind Farm, an 80-megawatt facility planned by Midwest Wind Energy, LLC, and its affiliate Elkhorn Ridge Wind, LCC, will be constructed about 5 miles north of Bloomfield.
When completed, Elkhorn Ridge will be larger than the 60-megawatt Ainsworth Wind Energy facility, owned by the Nebraska Public Power District.
After several months of negotiations, NPPD recently signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Midwest Wind Energy, based in Chicago. Under the terms of the agreement, Elkhorn Ridge Wind will own and operate the $140 million facility and NPPD will buy the electricity.
The wind farm, which is expected to be constructed by the end of this year in order to take advantage of federal renewable energy tax credits, could supply enough electricity to power 25,000 homes for a year. There will be 27 wind turbines at the site.
Gov. Dave Heineman, state Sen. Cap Dierks, representatives from NPPD and Midwest Wind Energy, and local officials will participate in the 2:15 p.m. groundbreaking ceremony.
A 3 p.m. wind celebration will follow at Bloomfield High School.
Officials say the Elkhorn Ridge power purchase agreement between NPPD and Midwest Wind Energy, a private developer, is the first of its kind in Nebraska, a public power state.
The wind farm project is structured to comply with the state’s Rural Community-Based Energy Development Act, which requires that not less than 33 percent of the power purchase agreement payments over the 20-year agreement flow to Nebraska owners.
Another major wind farm is also in the works.
NPPD recently announced that is has reached a 20-year agreement to buy electricity from a private wind energy developer for a 42-megawatt facility called Crofton Hills Wind Farm.
Planned for construction between Crofton and Bloomfield, the wind farm will have 17 turbines. Total cost of the project, which is scheduled to be completed next year, will be about $69 million. The project is being developed by Minnesota-based Juhl Energy Development.
Reach Algis J. Laukaitis at 402-473-7243 or alaukaitis@journalstar.com.
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