The Minnesota transmission and generation cooperative, Cooperative Power, has signed a 15 year contract with the California-based Foras Energy for the development of a wind power project in southern Minnesota. The project will form part of CP’s Wellspring Renewable Energy Program.
The Danish company Vestas will manufacture the wind turbines for the project. The $2.5 million scheme will include three 660 kW units, each with a rotor diameter of 47 m and 65 m towers.
The three turbines will be installed in the service area of Nobles Electric Cooperative, one of CP’s member cooperatives. Construction is expected to start in the late summer and the units are due to start generating power before the end of the year.
CP set up the Wellspring Program to meet the growing demand for electricity from alternative sources. CP member cooperative customers have signed up for more than 3800 blocks each month of Wellspring energy, each of 100 kW. Each 100 kW block is sold at a premium of $2.
In Wisconsin, meanwhile, Wisconsin Electric has announced plans to erect two wind turbines. Site and contractor have yet to be selected.
The turbines, due to start producing electricity by June 1999, will have peak generating capacities of 600 kW. Power from the units will be sold to consumers prepared to pay a premium for renewable energy. Since the programme was inaugurated by Wisconsin Electric two years ago over 7000 customers have signed up.
