Ownership group coming together for wind turbines
South Dakota Wind Partners and Basin Electric entered into an agreement in which Basin Electric will build, operate and purchase electricity generated from the seven turbines; the Wind Partners will retain ownership.
Basin Electric Power Cooperative
- July 20, 2010
Originally published by The Daily Republic
Reported by Melanie Brandert
Seven turbines in Jerauld County that are part of the PrairieWinds project will be owned by a group of South Dakota agriculture- and utility-based entities.
South Dakota Wind Partners, which involves East River Electric Power Cooperative in Madison, the South Dakota Farm Bureau, South Dakota Farmers Union and South Dakota Corn Growers Association, wants to create a community-owned wind farm, said Wayne Soren, SDFU vice president from Lake Preston.
"We thought it would be an opportunity for South Dakotans to take ownership of the wind that blows us around a little bit," he said.
The organizations began talks last September for a wind farm, and the group formed about Jan. 1.
South Dakota Wind Partners and Basin Electric entered into an agreement in which Basin will build, operate and purchase electricity generated from the seven turbines, said Kevin Solie, Basin senior environmental analyst. The Wind Partners will retain ownership, he said.
Brian Minish, South Dakota Wind Partners vice president from Lennox, said if an agreement is reached, the seven turbines will be part of the PrairieWinds project.
"It would be fair to say (that) late last year, conceptually this was put together," he said.
Basin wants to build up to 111 turbines in parts of Aurora, Brule and Jerauld counties for the $363 million, 165-megawatt project. An 11.5-mile, 230-kilovolt transmission line will be erected to carry electricity to a Wessington Springs substation.
South Dakota Wind Partner's turbines were among the 27 wind turbines included in a conditional use permit that Basin obtained from the Jerauld County Board of Adjustment on June 24, said Darwin Reindl, county zoning administrator.
Solie estimated the seven turbines would cost $21 million.
Ten investor meetings will be planned for South Dakota residents within 100 miles of Jerauld County, with the first one in August, Soren said. A site has yet to be determined.
The group would like to have investments in place by Sept. 1, he said.
As for the PrairieWinds project, Basin Electric awaits the opportunity to start the 30-day comment period for the final environmental impact statement, Solie said.
After that period, Western Area Power Administration and the Rural Utilities Service would each issue a decision, he said.
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