March 7, 2014
Nebraska

Butler and Polk counties targeted for wind farm

By ALGIS J. LAUKAITIS / Lincoln Journal Star 7 March 2014 | journalstar.com

A wind development company has its eye on building a wind farm in Polk and Butler counties.

“We are in the extremely early stages right now,” said Dennis Stout, development manager for E.On, the fourth largest wind farm operator in the U.S.

Stout declined to discuss where the company – headquartered in Chicago – is looking in those two counties.

“We are visiting with landowners and we will be getting some equipment into the area to measure wind and begin our studies there,” he said.

A future meeting is planned with interested parties but no date has been set.

Stout said the size of the wind farm would depend on the available capacity on transmission lines and how much electricity a utility wants to purchase.

Potential buyers could include the Nebraska Public Power District, Omaha Public Power District and the Lincoln Electric System, he said.

In other wind-related news, the Omaha World-Herald reported construction is underway on an 80-megawatt wind farm near Verdigre in northeast Nebraska that would host about 50 turbines.

Verdigre Land and Wind Partners is leading the project, which is expected to be done by the end of 2015. The organization is a collaboration between the Verdigre Landowners Association and Plymouth, Mich.-based Windlab Developments USA.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/03/07/butler-and-polk-counties-targeted-for-wind-farm/