Great River Energy Purchases Power From Prairie Star Wind Farm

Elk River, MN - Great River Energy announced that it has begun taking power from the Prairie Star Wind Farm located about 15 miles southeast of Austin, Minn. Horizon Wind Energy is the owner and developer of the 100.65-megawatt (MW) wind energy development. Great River Energy is selling 5 megawatts from the wind project to Dairyland Power Cooperative, La Crosse, Wis. The wind farm is located in the service area of Dairyland member Freeborn-Mower Cooperative.

Prairie Star Wind Farm will produce 352,000 megawatt-hours of clean energy which is enough to power approximately 33,000 Minnesota homes. Construction of the sixty-one 1.65 MW wind turbines started in spring 2007 and the project came online in December 2007. Prairie Star Wind Farm will prevent the annual emission of approximately 290,000 tons of carbon dioxide, nearly 700 tons of nitrogen oxide (which causes smog), and nearly 900 tons of sulfur dioxide (which causes acid rain). This is the equivalent of taking nearly 60,000 cars of the road.

"The Prairie Star Wind Farm is an excellent fit for Great River Energy. Not only does it provide us with clean, renewable energy it also brings us closer to our commitment to reach the 25 percent renewable energy standard by the year 2025", said Mark Rathbun, Great River Energy renewable energy project leader. With the Prairie Star Wind Farm output, Great River Energy's renewable portfolio includes 213 MW of wind resources as well as a number of renewable biomass resources.

"The commercial operation of the Prairie Star Wind Farm is a milestone event. We are very pleased to work with Great River Energy in providing clean, renewable energy to their customers in the state of Minnesota," said Antonio Martins da Costa, CEO of Horizon Wind Energy.

SOURCE: Great River Energy