Jan 14 2009
As part of its expansion drive in the United States, EDF Energies Nouvelles (Paris:EEN), a major player in the North American renewable energies industry, is announcing the commissioning of its Wapsipinicon wind farm in Minnesota. This facility has 67 turbines each with 1.5 MW in capacity, representing a total of 100.5 MW.
This new wind farm, in which a minority shareholding will be owned by financial investors, was developed and built by enXco, the US subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles. The electricity it generates has been sold under a 25-year contract to Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, which serves the interests of all the municipally-owned utilities in southern Minnesota. The 67 turbines were supplied by US manufacturer GE Energy.
This facility is part of a complex with over 200 MW in capacity, the southern part of which (Grand Meadows) was built by enXco for third parties and then sold.
With the addition of the Wapsipinicon wind farm, the Group, which has been present in the United States since 2002, is strengthening its positions in the generation of green electricity in North America.
“The commissioning of the Wapsipinicon wind farm has increased our gross capacity in service to over 713 MW in the United States. It represents a market with tremendous potential in which we have been making gains year after year since the beginning of the decade” said David Corchia, Chief Executive Officer of EDF Energies Nouvelles.