South Dakota regulators have given a green light to the 103MW Willow Creek wind project.
The state Public Utilities Commission has approved developer Wind Quarry’s plan to build 45 turbines on 40,000 acres of private ranch land in Butte County. The developer proposes to install Siemens SWT-2.3MW-108 machines with 80m steel towers.
Willow Creek will interconnect to the US Department of Energy Western Area Power Administration 115kV Maurine to Rapid City transmission line, which runs through the project area.
Wyoming-based Wind Quarry is working to secure a power purchase agreement for the output and aims to start construction in 2016.
The estimated $210m wind farm will have a net operating capacity of about 400,000 MWh/year to 430,000 MWh/year, assuming a capacity factor of 44% to 47%.
Image: Siemens 2.3MW turbines (Siemens)
