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Xcel Energy seeks to own 100-megawatt wind farm

MINNEAPOLIS - Xcel Energy today asked Minnesota regulators for permission to build and own a 100-megawatt wind farm near Austin, Minn. The proposed Grand Meadow Wind Farm, located in Mower County, would be the first wind farm in Minnesota owned by Xcel Energy and would be operational by the end of 2008.

“We are very excited to pursue ownership of this wind farm and tapping into some of the best wind resources in the nation,” said Dave Sparby, acting president and CEO of Northern States Power Co.-Minnesota, an Xcel Energy company. “Developing this renewable energy resource will help Xcel Energy further our commitment to preserve and protect the environment while meeting our customers’ growing electricity needs.”

Xcel Energy has contracted with enXco Development Corp., an EDF-EN Company, to build the 100-megawatt wind farm on a site under development by enXco. The project is expected to consist of 67, 1.5-megawatt wind turbines on approximately 40 square miles. enXco filed a separate site permit for the wind farm, which is capable of supporting up to 200 megawatts of wind generation, the balance of which could also be used to meet Minnesota’s energy needs.

For the second year in a row, the American Wind Energy Association has ranked Xcel Energy as the No. 1 wind power provider in the nation. The company plans to have at least 2,800 megawatts of wind energy generation on-line by the end of the year throughout its eight-state service territory.

In Minnesota, Xcel Energy  currently receives approximately 675 megawatts of electricity from wind and plans to add 500 megawatts of wind power under the Community-Based Energy Development (C-BED) program by 2010. The utility estimates that it will need to add between 3,000 and 3,400 megawatts of new wind generation to its Minnesota system by 2020 to meet the renewable energy standard passed by the state Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Tim Pawlenty earlier this year.

 “Ownership of a wind farm makes a great deal of sense at this time,” noted Sparby. “Not only does it diversify the company-owned generation portfolio, it will produce energy that is emissions-free and it reduces the price risk that can occur with dependence on more volatile fossil fuels.”

Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company with regulated operations in eight Western and Midwestern states. Xcel Energy provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.3 million electricity customers and 1.8 million natural gas customers through its regulated operating companies. Company headquarters are located in Minneapolis. More information is available at www.xcelenergy.com.

enXco, inc. (www.enxco.com) an EDF-EN Company (www.edf-en.com), develops, operates and manages wind-energy projects throughout the United States. Since 1987, enXco has grown to be a significant owner and developer of wind-energy installations in the United States, and is the largest third-party O&M provider for wind parks, currently servicing more than 3600 turbines (1500 MW).