The transmission project "will likely require more than 1,000 miles (1,610 km) of new extra-high voltage transmission lines at a cost of between $5 billion and $10 billion," AEP said. The Midwest Independent System Operator, which manages transmission lines in the region, must approve the project. The new lines would connect 2,000 megawatts of wind power in Hartland Wind Farm project in North Dakota, near the western terminus of the proposed lines, AEP said.

Landowners from the Strasburg area interested in a proposed wind farm gathered at the Strasburg School gym Monday, Oct. 6, to receive an update from Just-Wind President and founder Jeff Metzger of Mound, Minn. Several landowners signed up to be included with others who had previously signed their land into the project. A map was displayed of the Strasburg project area that showed which land was committed and which was not. Metzger encouraged those who have signed leases to contact uncommitted landowners.

The North Dakota Public Service Commission has filed a complaint that Tatanka Wind Farm changed the location of some transmission towers without notifying the commission. A possible fine of up to $200,000 is by no means a certainty. "We are just putting the company on alert that our staff is concerned about this," commission President Susan Wefald told the American News on Wednesday.

Construction on a new 149-megawatt wind farm in north central North Dakota should begin this fall, a company spokesman said, almost three years after state regulators approved the project's location north of Rugby. The Public Service Commission voted Wednesday to reissue siting certificates for the Pierce County project to Iberdrola Renewables Inc., a unit of Iberdrola Renewables S.A. of Madrid. The commissioners first approved the certificates in October 2005. The wind farm was initially developed by PPM Energy Inc. of Portland, Ore.

North Dakota regulators are planning for two large new wind energy projects, costing an estimated $2.3 billion, that should be capable of generating up to 1,150 megawatts of electricity. The state Public Service Commission on Wednesday formally accepted letters of intent from FPL Energy LLC, of Juno Beach, Fla., to build a 1,000-megawatt wind farm in west central North Dakota and a 150-megawatt project in Dickey County, in the southeastern part of the state.

North Dakota's biggest wind developer is proposing a $2 billion wind turbine farm in the west-central part of the state. It would be capable of generating 1,000 megawatts of electricity. FPL Energy wants to build the wind farm over 250 square miles in Oliver and Morton counties. Its 667 wind turbines would be located in a region of North Dakota that is better known for coal mining and coal-fueled power plants.

North Dakota regulators have granted Otter Tail Power Company`s request for a special charge to cover the utility`s investment in wind energy. Otter Tail owns part of a new wind farm south of Langdon in northeastern North Dakota. Otter Tail gets 40-and-one-half megawatts of the wind farm`s output. It`s capable of generating 159 megawatts of electricity. Otter Tail asked for a special renewable energy charge to cover its North Dakota wind energy development expenses.

Over 100 people turned out for a wind farm development meeting in Strasburg Thursday night to learn about Just Wind's plans for the area. Jeffrey L. Metzger, Just Wind's Chief Manager, of Mound, Minn., reported on the project which could involve 400 wind generators spread across 64,000 acres in southwestern Emmons County (primarily west of Strasburg). Estimated cost of the project is roughly $1 billion based on the $3.7 million cost per turbine. ...Metzger said the Strasburg operation would be the nation's largest community-owned wind farm.

A previously announced wind power project in southwestern North Dakota around Gascoyne has grown to possibly include an area near New England and Elgin. Ryan Segley, project manager for Crownbutte Wind Power LLC, said the company is currently waiting to see if there is enough room on transmission lines in the southwestern part of the state for the energy generated by the wind turbines. "We're waiting for the queue process to see if they can get us on the transmission lines down there," Segley said.

As wind energy developers and state officials shot the breeze inside a tent late Wednesday morning, wind turbines surrounding the Langdon (N.D.) Wind Energy Center were producing some 10 megawatts of energy ...That was a lull, really, in terms of energy output at the very hour the 106-turbine, $250 million facility was being dedicated. At full capacity, the 159-megawatt Langdon wind farm is capable of powering about 39,750 homes — equal to, for example, the number of houses in Grand Forks, Traill, Walsh, Cavalier and Pembina counties. By the end of the year, the facility will expand by another 27 wind turbines and 40 megawatts of power.

Otter Tail Power Co. wants to begin charging its North Dakota customers for the expense of building a new wind farm, a request that may be delayed until state regulators can review its electric rates. The Public Service Commission on Wednesday began considering an Otter Tail request to allow it to add a "renewable generation" rate to its North Dakota electric bills. ...The proposed rate would add about $1.45 monthly to the electric bill of a residential customer who uses 750 kilowatt-hours of power each month, the commission said. Many Otter Tail customers use more, and their potential bills would be higher.

Denali Energy Inc. of Baxter, Minn. and Montgomery Energy Partners LP of Houston, Texas, have entered into a joint venture to develop Heartland Wind Farm, LLC. The first phase of Hartland Wind Farm is expected to produce 500 megawatts, using 333 turbines. A second 500 megawatt phase is in development. At 1,000 megawatts, this project has the potential to be one of the largest wind farm developments in the United States.

Fearful of the possible loss of federal tax breaks, a company is rushing to complete a planned 150-megawatt wind farm in eastern North Dakota that would be financed partly by local investors. "It's going to be tight," said Warren Enyart, secretary of M-Power LLC, of Finley, which is developing the project. "We're scrambling. We're somewhat optimistic, but everything has to fall in place very precisely." The project will include between 58 and 100 wind turbines, depending on the design that is chosen, Enyart said. ..."However, the uncertainty of the federally authorized production tax credits has prompted the utilities to request an accelerated constructions schedule," the letter says. M-Power's goal now is to have the wind farms operational by Dec. 31, when the credits will expire unless Congress extends them, it says.

Days after North Dakota's biggest wind farm began operating near Langdon, a developer has filed plans to construct a larger one in Barnes County, east of Lake Ashtabula. The company hopes to finish the project by year's end. North Dakota's Public Service Commission was notified this week of FPL Energy's intentions to construct a 200-megawatt wind farm, which would include 133 turbines. ...Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer said FPL Energy has already obtained the needed leases to place its wind towers. A zoning change is needed for the property, which Barnes County officials are considering. FPL Energy needs to finish the project by Dec. 31 to qualify for a federal tax break for the wind farm, Cramer said.

The $250 million Langdon Wind Energy Center near here could not begin to deliver wind energy throughout eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota without a new $10 million transmission line. The project - a 35-mile 115-kilovolt transmission line between Langdon and Hensel, N.D., along with substation improvements - is a joint effort between Minnkota Power Cooperative, Grand Forks, and Otter Tail Power Company, Fergus Falls, Minn.

Wind energy developer Tim Simons says the queue is making business difficult. He is referring to the list of projects awaiting action by the Midwest Independent System Operator, a Carmel, Ind., -based power grid monitor that oversees electric transmission in the region. MISO manages a transmission "footprint" of nearly 1 million square miles and 100,000 megawatts of power in the Midwest. ...Dombek said MISO received about 80 applications in 2005, about 130 last year, and 190 so far this year. Together, projects in the MISO queue total 70,000 new megawatts of power. Of those, 55,000 megawatts would come from wind. North Dakota has 42 projects in the queue, nine of which have been approved, with 33 waiting.

Right now, MISO, headquartered in Indiana, has 290 projects in its queue, more than any in its history. All but 70 of them are wind projects. MISO manages a transmission "footprint" of nearly 1 million square miles and 100,000 megawatts of power in the Midwest. Not one - from a 1 megawatt wind turbine to a 1,500 megawatt nuclear facility - gets on the grid without an agreement. Its spokesman, Carl Dombek, said the agreements require studies to make sure there's room for the power, to determine where the power would go and what would happen downstream on the line. Dombek said the average wait now is at least 19 months. Similar to a checkout line, it doesn't matter the size of the order. First come is first served. ..."Wind is popular right now, and they're (FERC) taking notice," Dombek said. To put the 291 applications in MISO's queue in perspective, Dombek said one doesn't have to look back very far. In 2005, MISO received approximately 80 applications. In 2006, that number increased to 130. So far in 2007, they have received 190 applications, Dombek said. Taken all together, projects in the MISO queue total 70,000 new megawatts of power. Of those, 55,000 megawatts would come from wind.

The project's official name is "Capacity Expansion by 2020," or "CapX2020" for short. It is being driven by an alliance of 11 different utility companies throughout the region, which covers all of Minnesota as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin. The power line planned for this area is one of three 345 kV lines proposed at different areas of the state as part of the the CapX2020 project. The project also includes construction of one 230 kV line between Bemidji and Grand Rapids. A public hearing for residents of this area is scheduled for next Tuesday, in Cannon Falls. It is one of many meetings still to come during the CapX2020 planning process. ...Rate payers from all area power utility companies will see an increase in their bills as a result of the CapX2020 construction, he added. Though Fordice could not put a specific amount on how much the increase to utility bills will be - probably $1.50 to $2 a month - the project itself is going to cost $1.4 billion, which will be divided among all 11 utility companies.

The sight of hulking wind turbine blades strapped to oversized semi-trailers has been known to unnerve motorists as the giant blades move through traffic destined for wind farms across the country. ...Gjovik said he has seen some trucking quotes of $15,000 to $20,000 and recently saw one for $27,000 for a shipment to Oklahoma. And those prices are only for one load of one or two blades. With each load containing one blade, it would take three loads to ship the blades needed for a rotor to run one wind turbine.

North Dakota may see the construction of more wind turbines - possibly some in the Jamestown area. Terry Wanzek, who farms west of Jamestown, said he signed an easement contract with FPL Energy for a possible wind farm on his property. "We are looking at additional opportunities in the state," said Steve Stengel, spokesman for FPL Energy, the firm that constructed the wind farm west of Edgeley and is in the process of building a wind farm near Langdon and expanding the wind farm in Oliver County.