The four projects represent a 42% increase in the company’s wind power capacity in the Upper Midwest.
Courtenay wind farm will comprise up to 125 wind turbines spanning across 25,000 acres of leased land in Stutsman County, North Dakota, while Odell wind farm will feature up to 125 wind turbines spanning across 34,000 acres of leased land in Jackson, Watonwan and Cottonwood counties, Minnesota.
Geronimo Energy and Xcel Energy had signed long-term purchase agreements in July 2013 for these two projects.
RES America Developments will be responsible for developing the other two projects, the Pleasant Valley project near Austin, Minnesota and Border winds project in Rolette County in north central North Dakota, and will then transfer the ownership of these projects to Xcel Energy.
Northern States Power Company-Minnesota president and CEO Dave Sparby said that these projects, which are likely to be operational by the end of 2015, will generate enough electricity to power about 200,000 homes and save customers more than $225m over the projects’ lives.
"At the same time, the projects will reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.5 million tons each year in our Upper Midwest territory, where we already are on track to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2020 from 2005 levels," added Sparby.
