Tdworld 4342 Windfarm
Tdworld 4342 Windfarm
Tdworld 4342 Windfarm
Tdworld 4342 Windfarm
Tdworld 4342 Windfarm

Xcel Energy Plans to Increase Wind Energy by 60%

Sept. 23, 2016
Company seeks proposals to add enough wind energy to power more than three-quarters of a million homes

Xcel Energy is seeking proposals to dramatically grow its wind energy portfolio by adding enough new wind farms to power more than 750,000 homes. This announcement is another step in Xcel Energy’s long-term plan to transform its energy fleet, and represents one of the largest wind energy proposals in the nation, bringing up to 1,500 megawatts of new wind power to Xcel Energy customers.

Xcel Energy is seeking proposals now to take full advantage of great wind pricing supported by federal tax credits available for construction of new wind projects. The additional wind energy is part of the company’s long-term plan to more than double its renewable energy portfolio and deliver 63 percent of our energy from carbon-free resources in the next 15 years.

Xcel Energy can increase the amount of wind generation on the system without impacting service reliability because of the company’s sophisticated wind forecasting technology and infrastructure investments that have been made in our system that can deliver wind to communities where customers live.  

Proposals can be a mix of power purchase agreements and projects purchased from developers.

The RFP (available at www.xcelenergy.com/NSP2016WINDRFP) requests companies respond Oct. 25, 2016.

Proposal details

  • Projects must interconnect to Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan
  • Projects must be at least 75 MW
  • Bidders are responsible for all transmission interconnection and system upgrades required by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.
  • Xcel Energy expects to file for regulatory approval of selected projects in spring 2017

Xcel Energy will evaluate proposals submitted, and bring forward proposed plans for regulatory review and approval.

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