The Public Service Commission has okayed the siting for a new 298 megawatt wind farm near Linton.
Emmons-Logan Wind – a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources – will build the farm on 28,000 acres. It will have 123 wind turbines. The company has a contract to sell the power to Great River Energy.
PSC Chairman Brian Kroshus said he was very impressed at the community support for this project.
"From first responders to school officials, to community leaders and citizens, there was very, very strong and robust support for the project," Kroshus said. "That region is predominantly agriculture. And when commodity prices are low, these easement payments not only help farmers that have turbines on their land, it helps the local community. They look at it as an opportunity in an area where they don't have many coming along."
The company wants to have the wind farm in service by December. It will have a new aircraft detection lighting system – which only turns tower lights on when an aircraft is in the area, cutting down on blinking red lights.
The commission also approved a nearly 7 mile long high voltage power line to bring the wind power to an existing transmission line.