Update Courtenay Wind Farm groundbreaking

Courtenay (CSi) Xcel Energy joined U.S. Sen. John Hoeven and other state and community partners, Friday, to celebrate the start of construction on the 200-MW Courtenay Wind Farm project near Jamestown.

As the No. 1 wind utility provider for 11 consecutive years, Xcel Energy is dedicated to providing the state with reliable cost effective energy now and in the future.

Chris Clark, president, of Northern States Power Co.-Minnesota, an Xcel Energy Company, says, “When complete, the Courtenay Wind Farm will generate enough electricity to power 105,000 homes, making use of North Dakota’s abundant renewable resource. Everyone, from landowner to lawmakers, worked together to make this a reality, and the end result benefits North Dakota, the surrounding community and our customers.”

The power plant will create about 200 construction jobs and 10 full-time jobs, while providing an estimated $850,000 in tax revenue. It will use 100 wind turbines on nearly 25,000 acres of property leased from more than 60 landowners.

The Courtenay Wind Farm is expected to be operational by the end of 2016.

Clark adds, “This is just the start of tapping into one of the state’s most valuable natural resources as Xcel Energy will continue to add wind to our system and invest in North Dakota.”

In addition to Courtenay, construction is nearly complete on the company’s 150 MW Border Winds Farm in Rolette County, N.D. Xcel Energy serves more than 92,000 electric customers and nearly 52,000 natural gas customers in North Dakota.

Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visitwww.xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Senator John Hoeven Friday celebrated the groundbreaking of Xcel Energy’s new Courtenay wind farm. The 200 megawatt project, located about 30 miles north of Jamestown, spans 25,000 acres and will have 100 Vestas wind turbines upon its completion in 2016. When fully operational, it will have the capacity to serve approximately 105,000 homes.

Hoeven said, “North Dakota has gone from less than half a megawatt of wind power in 2001, when I began my service as governor, to more than 1,886 megawatts at the end of 2014, which accounted for more than 17 percent of all electricity generated in our state.  We have demonstrated that an all-of-the-above approach to energy development can be successful. A good business climate like we’ve built in North Dakota can encourage developers to deploy new technologies that will produce more energy with better environmental stewardship. Xcel Energy’s new wind farm in Courtenay serves as a wonderful example of how energy projects can bolster our state’s economy.”

North Dakota ranks fifth in the nation for percentage of electricity derived from wind, and Stutsman County’s location in wind-abundant central North Dakota makes it an ideal place for wind development. Courtenay wind farm is projected to generate approximately $850,000 in local tax revenues.

Xcel Energy currently employs 110 North Dakotans and serves more than 92,000 electric customers and almost 52,000 natural gas customers with clean, reliable energy throughout the Grand Forks, Fargo and Minot areas. It is the number one wind energy provider in the United States.

During his time as Governor, Hoeven worked to establish a comprehensive energy plan for the State of North Dakota. The plan – Empower North Dakota – helped to ensure that the state’s energy sectors, both traditional and renewable, worked together in innovative and environmentally responsible ways. As a member of the U.S. Senate Energy Committee, Hoeven is working to create the same pro-business climate on the national level in order to build a states-first, all-of-the-above energy plan for our nation.