Courtenay Wind Farm Project – North Dakota, USA

Project Overview

We are in the process of building a 200-megawatt wind farm near Courtenay, N.D. in Stutsman County. The project involves construction of 100 wind turbines situated on nearly 25,000 acres of property leased from approximately 60 landowners.

The Courtenay Wind Farm Project also includes a 17-mile, 115-kilovolt overhead transmission line that will connect the wind farm to the existing Otter Tail Power substation west of Highway 20.

When complete at the end of 2016, the facility will generate enough electricity to power about 105,000 homes.

Project Benefits

As the No. 1 utility wind energy provider, we are a national leader in bringing wind energy on our system and doing so at a price that is reasonable for our customers. The Courtenay project will be a significant addition to our owned generation, and one of two large Xcel Energy wind projects in North Dakota.

The state of North Dakota has one of the strongest economies in the nation and we are pleased to be working to ensure that the state has the energy it needs to continue that economic boom. North Dakota is known for its abundant wind resource, which is a significant factor in keeping energy prices low.

The Courtenay project will help generate jobs and benefit the local economy as it taps into the state’s renewable resource. The project will create about 200 construction jobs and 10 full-time jobs, while providing an estimated $850,000 annually in tax revenue. Landowners leasing their land will receive a total of about $26.5 million in lease payments over 20 years.

Project Update

The first wind turbines at Courtenay are producing electricity.

The Courtenay substation was energized Sept. 12, and 13 wind turbines have been switched into the system generating about 26 megawatts. There are eight circuits radiating from the substation to the 100 wind turbines. Each circuit can be turned on and off individually at the substation, which is why the wind farm can be brought online in segments.

More than 150 miles of underground conductor cable are being installed in approximately 50 miles of trench (three cables stacked on top of each other) to connect the wind turbines and substation.

Here are some other project facts and figures:

– Each turbine can generate 2MW of power – enough for 1,500 homes
– The diameter of the blade sweep area is 100 meters (328 feet)
– The tower hub sits 80 meters high (262 feet)
– The height to the tip of a blade in its vertical position is 130 meters (426 feet)
– 22 miles of access roads have been placed on the wind farm site
– 17.1 miles of overhead transmission line connect the Courtenay collection substation with the interconnect substation (Ottertail Power Substation)
– Each wind turbine foundation consists of 360 cubic yards of concrete and 28 tons of reinforcing steel. So the approximate total for the entire wind farm is 36,000 cubic yards of concrete – or about 3,600 concrete trucks – and 2,800 tons of steel.

Construction Update

Most equipment deliveries are complete so the level of truck traffic to the project site should subside.

Construction workforce levels are down too as the project nears completion.