It’s now North Dakota’s second largest wind farm.
The Bison Wind Energy Center is in Morton and Oliver counties. It consists of 101 turbines, and it will produce 300 megawatts of electric power. Minnesota Power Company – a division of Allete Energy -- uses the wind power to serve its Minnesota customers, helping to meet Minnesota’s mandates for renewable power.
The company has worked with about 500 landowners to make the wind facility possible. And at a celebration in New Salem, Allete CEO Al Hodnick said the company tries to be a good neighbor.
"We try to deal with you fairly," Hodnick told the gathering. "We try to treat everyone equally. And most important, with respect. We don't get it right all the time, but we try to get it right most of the time. And when we get it wrong, we try to deal with you straight up right away."
Hodnick also says there may be more expansion of wind generation in North Dakota.
"North Dakota is both energy rich, but most importantly policy friendly," said Hodnick. "I can't say that about Minnesota, the state I grew up in. North Dakota is good for business, and good for our company. We're glad to have invested $500 million in the state, and we're looking to invest more."
Hodnick says 20 percent of Minnesota Power’s electricity comes from renewable sources -- primarily wind.
