Five and a half months after buying a dedicated transmission line to transmit renewable energy eastward, Minnesota Power, an ALLETE company, is constructing its first wholly owned wind farm in North Dakota.
‘The state of North Dakota is both an energy-rich and energy-friendly state,’ says Alan R. Hodnik, president and CEO of ALLETE. ‘Right here is a perfect place to help the nation reduce its dependence on foreign energy supplies and expand homegrown, more sustainable sources.’
Preliminary grading and road building started last fall, and construction began about a month ago on the first phase of the 76 MW Bison Wind I project. A total of 33 2.3 Siemens MW turbines will be erected on farmland.Â
The first 16 wind generators should be installed and operational by December, with the second phase of 17 turbines scheduled for construction and deployment a year later. The project is estimated to cost approximately $178 million.
SOURCE: Minnesota Power
