Greentech Lead America: Geronimo Wind Energy, a developer
of utility-scale wind energy projects, has sold its 200 megawatt Prairie Rose
Wind Farm to its strategic partner, Enel Green Power (EGP). The project is
currently under construction and will be completed by the end of the year.
“The sale of the Prairie Rose Wind Farm to our strategic
partner Enel Green Power represents a very important milestone in our company’s
history. We are very pleased to bring EGP and its world class operating
knowledge to the project and the community that is hosting it,” said Blake
Nixon, Geronimo’s president.
GE has provided 119 of its 1.68-megawatt wind
turbines for the project and GE Financial Services has acquired an
ownership interest in the project from EGP. The project is expected to generate
enough clean energy to power 75,000 homes and reduce approximately 650,000 tons
of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
The power produced by the plant will be sold to Northern
States Power Company (NSP), a subsidiary of Xcel Energy under a 20 year Power
Purchase Agreement. Â
The Prairie Rose Wind Farm is located in Rock County in
southwestern Minnesota and will create up to 300 construction jobs and about a
dozen permanent jobs. The project will contribute approximately $850,000
annually in tax revenue to the county and townships. In addition, landowner
payments from the project exceed $1 million per year.