August 25, 2016
Iowa

AMU debates future of wind turbines

By Emilie Jenson, Reporter | Algona Upper Des Moines | Published: Wednesday, August 24, 2016 | www.algona.com

ALGONA- The Algona Municipal Utilities Board of Trustees is considering its options for a set of three wind turbines southeast of town.

The turbines, which have not been in operation since November, belong to the seven partners of the Iowa Distributed Wind Generation Project: Cedar Falls Utilities, Algona Municipal Utilities, City of Estherville, City of Fonda, City of Westfield, Ellsworth Municipal Electric and Montezuma Municipal Light and Power.

Cedar Falls Utilities, which has served as the administrative party for the IDWG Project, accepted bids for the removal of the turbines. One qualifying bid was submitted by Allete Clean Energy, of Duluth, Minn., for $170,000 AMU General Manager John Bilsten said.

A second bid, which called for the purchase of the turbines and re-powering them at the current site, was also submitted. That bid was contingent upon working out an agreement with AMU on a long-term power purchase agreement.

“The first bid would remove the tower, nucell, generators and blades and get rid of the turbines,” Bilsten said. “The second bid couldn’t be accepted because it was non-conforming.”

For the complete story, pick up the Aug. 25 issue of the Algona Upper Des Moines.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/08/25/amu-debates-future-of-wind-turbines/