July 28, 2019
North Dakota

Wind company tables area project

Jill Schramm, Senior Staff Writer | Minot Daily News | Jul 28, 2019 | www.minotdailynews.com

A company that planned to revive a large wind farm in northwest North Dakota is pulling back for now.

“It’s possible the project could be developed at some point in the future, but it’s not a priority at this time,” NextEra Energy Resources spokesman Conlan Kennedy said in an email this week.

NextEra acquired the former Hartland project and had conducted wind monitoring in and near the gooseneck of Ward County as well as in Mountrail and Renville counties. The company also had initiated lease opportunities with landowners.

NextEra told the Ward County Commission last year that it was considering a 300-megawatt wind farm, consisting of about 150 turbines, which is downsized from the originally proposed 2,000-megawatt Hartland facility.

NextEra has not given up on its proposed Burke County Wind Energy Center, though. The North Dakota Public Service Commission rejected a site permit for the project after hearing concerns about dangers to migratory birds.

“We are continuing to work with key stakeholders, including North Dakota Game & Fish, to modify our site layout and plan to submit a new application later this year,” Kennedy said.

The company had proposed to invest $350 million into the 200-megawatt project southwest of Bowbells.

NextEra has been working in North Dakota for almost two decades. It has invested $2.5 billion in the state and operates 14 projects. The PSC in February approved another NextEra project in Emmons and Logan counties.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/07/28/wind-company-tables-area-project/