Wind Power

Providing customers low-cost, clean energy.

We are fortunate to operate in parts of the country rich in wind, and we’re putting this resource to work for customers. As a national leader in wind power for over a decade, more than 20 percent of our energy supply company-wide comes from wind energy — about seven times the wind generation on our system in 2005.

Wind continues to produce more power for our customers.

Plans for the nation's largest multi-state investment in wind energy

We have announced plans to increase our wind portfolio 55 percent by the end of 2021. Twelve new wind farms in seven states will add nearly 3,700 megawatts of wind capacity to our system

The cost of wind power has fallen as turbine technology improves. Given current low prices and available tax credits, now is the time to invest in wind to benefit customers. We find that the cost to build a wind farm is offset by future fuel savings, providing our customers with affordable clean energy for years to come.

Xcel Energy Planned Wind Projects 2017-2021 (3,700 Megawatts)

Learn more about how our wind energy plans benefit customers and power local economies.

Offering Customers More

Wind power is clean, renewable energy. It requires no fuel or water, and in 2017, helped to avoid approximately 12.8 million tons of carbon dioxide, and other emissions on our system. For customers who want more, we offer Windsource®, one of the largest voluntary green energy programs in the country. Windsource gives customers the option to purchase up to 100 percent renewable energy in most of the states we serve.

Investing in Wind Operations

With more wind resources on our system, we continue to improve our operations and show that wind can contribute to a reliable power system. For example, we helped develop some of the most advanced wind forecasting tools available. Because we can use these tools to better predict wind generation, we can power down fossil fuel plants on windy days, saving millions of dollars in fuel costs.

Until now, we have purchased most of our wind power from other suppliers under long-term contracts. This is changing as we plan to own and operate more Xcel Energy wind farms.

• We now own five wind farms totaling about 850 megawatts in the Upper Midwest—Border, Courtenay, Grand Meadow, Nobles, and Pleasant Valley.
• In Colorado, the 600-megawatt Rush Creek Wind Project is now delivering low-cost wind power to customers and construction is underway on the new Cheyenne Ridge Wind Farm on the eastern plains.
• In the Southwest, our Hale Wind Project in Plainview, Texas, is providing enough electricity to power about 184,000 typical homes. Plans are moving forward to build the Sagamore Wind Project in Roosevelt County, New Mexico.

Under current plans, our wind ownership will grow fourfold in the next five years.

Have questions about wind energy? Check out our Q&A.

Today's wind turbines are larger, quieter and more efficient. Learn more.

Customer concerns

If you have concerns about one of Xcel Energy's wind farms in Minnesota, please email us.