Xcel increasing wind capacity by nearly 50 percent

October 22, 2013 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

A proposal to add 750 MW of wind power capacity to Xcel Energy's Upper Midwest grid has been approved by Minnesota regulators. Four projects, representing a 42 percent increase in the company's wind power capacity in the Upper Midwest, were approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

Credit: Energy Information Administration/Wikimedia Commons

The wind power additions are expected to not only save customers money but lower carbon emissions. In fact, it is estimated that the projects will reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.5 million tons each year in Xcel's Upper Midwest territory where the utility is already on track to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.

"Wind energy is a clean, low-cost substitute for natural gas and other fuels right now. These cost-competitive projects will save customers money by providing a valuable hedge to rising and volatile fuel prices well into the future," said Dave Sparby, president and CEO of Northern States Power Co. Minnesota, an Xcel Energy company. "With 1,800 megawatts of wind on our Upper Midwest system, we already are ahead of meeting state renewable energy targets. These four projects -- which will provide enough power to serve about 200,000 homes -- position us to continue to meet those targets while saving customers more than $225 million over the projects' lives.

The four projects approved by the PUC include the 200 MW Courtenay Wind Farm; the 200 MW Odell Wind Farm; the 200 MW Pleasant Valley Wind Farm; and the 150 MW Border Winds Project.

Consideration by the North Dakota Public Service Commission is expected by the end of 2013. All four projects are scheduled to be in service by the end of 2015.

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