The Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD), along with Midwest Wind Energy LLC and its affiliate Elkhorn Ridge Wind LLC, have executed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) that will pave the way for construction of Nebraska's largest wind farm near Bloomfield, Neb.
The 80 MW Elkhorn Ridge wind energy project is expected to be constructed by the end of the year.
‘This project demonstrates how the public and private sectors can work together to provide reliable, renewable energy to Nebraska's customers,’ says Mike Donahue, executive vice president of Midwest Wind Energy. ‘Hopefully, this will provide a model for more public-private opportunities in the future.’
The project is structured to comply with Nebraska's Rural Community-Based Energy Development Act (C-BED), which requires that not less than 33% of the PPA payments over the 20-year agreement flow to Nebraska owners.
The Elkhorn Ridge PPA between NPPD and the private developer is the first of its kind in Nebraska. However, NPPD President and CEO Ron Asche says the utility is close to completing a contract with another wind energy developer for a 40 MW C-BED facility that will share a common substation with the Elkhorn Ridge wind energy project. That project will also be located near Bloomfield.
