enXco - an EDF Energies Nouvelles Company and Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL) celebrated the construction phase of the 205.5 megawatt Lakefield Wind Project with a groundbreaking ceremony. The renewable energy project is expected to be operational in the Fall of 2011 bringing additional carbon-free electricity into the IPL generation portfolio as part of their effort to power the nearly 470,000 customers served by the utility.
In his remarks to the nearly 125 people in attendance, Minnesota State Representative Rod Hamilton said, “With determination and vision, together we were able to make this project a reality. In a small community we definitely stand shoulder to shoulder when it comes time to doing what’s right for our neighbors and local economic development.”
State Senator Elect Doug Magnus stated, “We recognize that southwestern Minnesota has valuable resources - resources to harvest and resources that renew themselves. It is vitally important that we acknowledge the wind resource to build our communities, create jobs, and to use the wind to the best extent possible to make our world a better place.”
Developed and owned by enXco, the Lakefield Wind Project, spans an area of approximately 20,000 acres of farmland near Lakefield Minnesota in Jackson County. It consists of 137 GE 1.5 megawatt turbines with the capacity to generate clean renewable energy for more than 68,000 homes. IPL will purchase the power generated under a 20-year power purchase agreement.
“With the addition of the energy from the Lakefield project, IPL will now have about 7% of our generation portfolio for retail customers coming from wind resources. This makes IPL among the leading Indiana utilities related to wind-produced megawatts as a percentage of retail sales,” said Ann Murtlow, IPL’s president & CEO. “IPL is excited to offer this wind energy project for the benefit of our customers.”
“enXco is once again pleased to extend our experience to IPL to bring a second wind project to IPL’s renewable energy portfolio. The Lakefield project follows on the successful development and construction of the Hoosier Wind Project which came online in 2009,” said Tristan Grimbert, president and CEO of enXco. “This project demonstrates the ability of an efficient energy market to deliver the environmental benefits of a strong wind resource to customers throughout the Midwest. We look forward to being a continued partner with IPL and the communities of Minnesota to further our efforts to supply clean energy to the nation’s grid.”
Lakefield Wind Project represents enXco’s ninth wind project developed in Minnesota and also the largest wind energy project in Minnesota since enXco’s Fenton Wind Project in 2007. enXco Service Corporation will provide operations and maintenance services.
The Power Purchase Agreement received approval by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) in January 2010. The Minnesota Public Utility Commission (MPUC) approved the project on September 29, 2010.