| SCHALLER,
Iowa, January 19, 2005 (ENS): More than 100
wind turbines began spinning in Iowa as the first phase
of MidAmerican Energy’s $323 million wind facility
went into service on December 31, 2004.
The 107 wind turbines at the Intrepid Wind Project site,
located in Sac and Buena Vista counties in northwest
Iowa, will generate 160.5 megawatts of electricity,
enough to supply electricity to some 43,000 homes.
“We’re pleased to reach this milestone
of the 310.5 megawatt wind project on time and under
budget,” said Tom Budler, MidAmerican Energy’s
wind project manager.
“This places MidAmerican more than half way to
fulfilling its commitment to help meet Governor [Tom]
Vilsack’s goal to have 1,000 megawatts of new
renewable energy generation in Iowa by 2010.”
The wind project is MidAmerican’s first owned
and operated wind generation facility. The company currently
purchases 112.5 megawatts from a wind farm near Alta,
Iowa.
Infrastructure construction – wind turbine foundations,
substation, underground electric line and access roads
– for Phase 2, the Century Wind Project, located
in Wright and Hamilton counties near Blairsburg in north
central Iowa, is on schedule and nearly complete. Turbine
erection will begin this spring. When the Century Wind
Project is on-line this summer, 100 turbines will generate
enough electricity to serve approximately 42,000 homes.
When the wind project is complete, wind, water and
biomass will be the source of more than eight percent
of MidAmerican’s electric generating capability.
MidAmerican announced plans to build the wind facility
in March of 2003 following Governor Vilsack’s
challenge to state regulators, business leaders and
utility companies to work toward achieving 1,000 megawatts
of renewable energy generation in Iowa by 2010. When
the wind project is completed, MidAmerican will own
or have under contract 439 megawatts of renewable energy.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jan2005/2005-01-19-09.asp#anchor3
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