News Releases for September 2005
September 19, 2005
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Hoeven, Basin Electric Power Cooperative, FPL Energy Break Ground For New Wilton Wind Energy Center
BISMARCK , N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven and officials of Basin Electric Power Cooperative and FPL Energy today broke ground on a new 49.5 megawatt, 33 tower wind energy center southeast of Wilton. The new facility will generate enough electrical energy to power 15,000 homes and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Joining Hoeven for the groundbreaking were Ron Harper, CEO and general manager of Basin Electric Cooperative; John DiDonato, project director for FPL Energy; Congressman Earl Pomeroy; Jerry Woodcox, Burleigh County Commissioner; and Kyle Tschosik, Wilton Mayor.
“We appreciate Basin and FPL Energy stepping forward with this tremendous project, which will add 49.5 megawatts of electricity to North Dakota's wind energy capacity,” Hoeven said. “This, along with the other four projects now under development in our state, will add more than 230 towers and 330 megawatts of new wind energy to our total capacity.”
The new facility will be constructed on an 8,000-acre plot southeast of Wilton by Wanzek Construction of Fargo, which specializes in wind tower construction. The towers were manufactured by DMI Industries of West Fargo.
FPL Energy will construct the plant, and Basin Electric Power Cooperative will purchase the electricity through a long-term contract with FPL Energy. The power from the wind farm will go into the power grid at the existing transmission line owned by the Western Area Power Administration. A four and one-quarter-mile-long, 230 kilovolt line will be constructed from the site to the existing line, which will be built, owned and maintained by Central Power Electric Cooperative of Minot.
“We’re working to create the best business climate anywhere for alternative energy sources, with tax incentives for wind power that include sales, income and property tax reductions for projects like this,” Hoeven said. “In addition, we’re working with companies like FPL and Basin to enhance our transmission infrastructure so that we can expand this energy sector even more.”
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