Geronimo Wind Energy Enters Long Term Power Purchase Agreement with Xcel Energy

Geronimo Wind Energy declared that it has entered into a long-term renewable energy purchase accord with Xcel Energy to sell 200 MW of wind generated power produced at its Prairie Rose Wind Farm. Xcel Energy has registered the accord for the approval of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.

The Prairie Rose Wind Farm to be located in the Rock and Pipestone Counties in Minnesota over 25,000 acres of leased land will incorporate 125 wind turbines and generate 200 MW power. The power generated by the facility will be sufficient enough to power around 60,000 homes. During the construction phase, the wind farm will generate around 200 construction job opportunities and on completion it will offer 10 to 12 permanent job positions in maintenance and operations segments of the wind farm.

The project is anticipated to commence construction at the end of 2011 and expected to get completed by the year end of 2012. Rock and Pipestone counties will receive over $2 million in the farm of annual tax revenues.

According to Northern States Power Co.-Minnesota, an Xcel Energy company’s President and CEO Judy Poferl, the project will enable the company to avail the federal tax credit benefits that are set to close by the end of 2012 and will assist the company in achieving the required renewable energy targets cost- effectively.