Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the selection of Basin Electric Power Cooperative to receive a loan guarantee to construct over 100 wind turbines to produce an expected 151.5 megawatts of electricity.
The project is designed to meet the needs of 2.8 million customers in nine states, with the loan providing engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning costs.
"The investment announced today will help us 'win the future,'" says Vilsack. "Capturing and converting wind to electricity will create jobs, reduce our reliance on imported energy, and build a reliable source of renewable energy for generations of rural Americans."
Basin Electric developed its first wind project in 2001, two turbines north of Chamberlain SD. They’ve come a long way since then, developing more than 450 megawatts of power in the Dakotas.
In 2009, Basin Electric subsidiary PrarieWinds ND 1 Inc. completed the largest wind project in North Dakota, with a capacity of 120 megawatts.
Upon completion of this renewable energy project, Basin Electric will boast more than 700 megawatts of wind generation.
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