Ørsted has completed a 230 MW wind farm in Nebraska’s Wayne County.
Plum Creek consists of 82 wind turbines and represents Ørsted’s first operational project in Nebraska, further adding to the regional diversity of the portfolio. Even amidst global challenges, the project was completed on schedule and brings Ørsted’s operational onshore capacity to 1.6 GW.
Ørsted has entered into agreements with a number of companies to purchase the power generated, including Vail Resorts, The J.M. Smucker Co. and Avery Dennison Corp. Not only will Plum Creek help these organizations meet their renewable energy targets with low-cost energy, but the project will also yield over $3 million in local community benefits annually in the Wayne County area. Some of the largest beneficiaries are the Norfolk and Windside school districts in addition to other sectors of the community, including emergency services, the local hospital and community college.
“Thanks to our team working on this project and our dedicated partners for their focus and determination in delivering the project on schedule despite the very challenging circumstances we face today,” says Neil O’Donovan, senior vice president and COO of onshore at Ørsted.
“Plum Creek is our first project in Southwest Power Pool (SPP) territory, a market that will play an important part in our ongoing growth in North America. The second project, Willow Creek, financed as a portfolio with Plum Creek, is on schedule for completion later this year,” he adds.
Ørsted delivered Plum Creek working with a group of leading tax equity providers, equipment suppliers and construction companies, including GE Energy Financial Services and BHE Renewables as tax equity providers, GE Renewables and Blattner Energy. All supported the smooth completion of the project.
Original source: North American Wind Power