News : Utility's power provider expands wind power capabilities

East-Central Iowa REC’s power provider is adding more wind generation to its transmission portfolio of energy resources. Along with eleven other distribution cooperatives here in the state of Iowa, ECI REC purchases their power from Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) based in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines.

Today, CIPCO announced that they have entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement to buy 41 megawatts of electricity from a third – the Elk Wind Farm. “One of CIPCO’s strategic objectives is to maintain a diverse portfolio of energy resources to reduce risk, stabilize price, protect the environment, and enhance reliability. An important part of that strategy has included selective purchases of wind energy from two Iowa-based wind farms,” said Dennis Murdock, CEO of CIPCO.

Murdock also note, the addition of this new resource will nearly doubles the amount of wind energy in the CIPCO portfolio and will also demonstrate their commitment to protecting Iowa’s environment and enhancing the local economy. “One of the reasons this wind farm was selected is because it is located in Delaware County and is served by Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative. Benefits to the local community will include new jobs during the construction phase and a number of permanent positions once operational as well as enhanced tax revenue for the county.”

The Elk Wind Farm is being developed by RPM Access, a local developer; and it is the first wind energy project in Delaware County. It will spread over 3,200 acres of open farmland while using approximately 12 acres for the wind farm facilities. Construction of the substation began today, and the Elk Wind project is expected to start producing electricity as early as October of 2011.