(Jackson, Mn.)– A rural electric cooperative that serves two counties in southwest Minnesota says 2007 has been a record-setting year for construction projects it’s been involved with.
Richard Burud, General Manager of Jackson-based Federated Rural Electric Association, says the cooperative built substations for new ethanol plants at Heron Lake, Welcome and Fairmont, along with new tranmission lines, at a cost of three million dollars.
Burud says the new plants will increase Federated’s sale of electricity by 40 percent.
In addition, Burud says Federated spent about 3.2 million on a wind turbine project near Welcome.
An additional 800-thousand spent on other projects brought Federated’s total construction costs for the year to more than seven million dollars–a record.
Burud says construction of the new substations and distribution lines will be paid by the plants over their life expectancy in the form of a monthly charge. He adds some of the plants, including Cenex Harvest States, have long-term contracts with Federated Rural Electric Association.
The rural electric cooperative serves some 4,900 customers in Jackson and Martin counties.
