(Spirit Lake)– The Flying Cloud Wind Energy Project west of Spirit Lake has a new partner.
Jan Johnson, a public relations officer with PPM Energy, Incorporated announced today (Wed.) they’ve purchased the development from Clipper Wind Power…meaning they’ll be building and operating the wind farm.
Johnson says the turbines and equipment has been ordered, and construction will be getting under way soon. She says the new turbines will be up and operational by this fall. Johnson says it’s critical they meet that timeframe to qualify for federal production tax credits. She says they’re actively working to have the credits extended as part of the energy bill.
The 50 million dollar project will consist of 29 G-E one and-a-half megawatt wind turbines that will generate 44 megawatts of electricity.
Zoning, easements and other matters have already been taken care of, as we’ve reported previously.
Johnson says PPM is part of the scottish power group of companies, the largest developer of windpower in the United Kingdom. The company is based in Portland, Oregon. It operates another wind farm near Pipestone, Minnesota along with another large wind farm on the Oregon/Washington border.
PPM will supply wind-generated electricity from the Flying Cloud project to Interstate Power and Light, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy, through a 15-year contract.
