September 30, 2003
Governor Mike Rounds and other dignitaries are slated to lead dedication ceremonies for South Dakota's largest wind farm at 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 6, at the site 10 miles south of Highmore, on Highway 47.
The 40-megawatt South Dakota Wind Energy Center was constructed by FPL Energy, Juno Beach, Fla. FPL owns and will operate the facility. Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Bismarck, N.D., will purchase its entire output. The newly-constructed wind turbines at the site can be seen for nearly 10 miles. Following the ceremony, a nearby wind turbine will be open for viewing for those in attendance.
Ron Harper, Basin Electric CEO and General Manager Michael O'Sullivan, FPL Senior Vice President - Business Development, and local officials will give remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Others scheduled to speak at the event include Jeff Nelson, general manager of East River Electric Power Cooperative, Madison, and Bob Rademacher, general manager of Dakota Energy Cooperative, Huron and Miller.
Beginning at noon, a luncheon will be held at the Hyde County Memorial Auditorium in Highmore. Featured on the luncheon program will be South Dakota's U.S. Senators, Tom Daschle and Tim Johnson, and South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Chairman, Robert Sahr, who will deliver their remarks via videotape.
Transportation to the dedication site will be available. Buses will leave every few minutes, beginning at 9 a.m., from the Hyde County Memorial Auditorium. It is recommended that this service be used.
All residents of Hyde County and nearby communities in adjacent counties are invited to attend. To RSVP for lunch or for more information, call toll-free, 1-800-503-1299. "We recognize it's hard to schedule activities at harvest time and don't want to discourage those who won't know until the last minute if they can join in the celebration," said Judi Anderson, community outreach manager for FPL Energy. "We want everyone who wishes to do so to attend. It will be a special day for Highmore, Hyde County, and South Dakota."
The South Dakota project has a total of 27 wind turbines. Construction on the project began in June. The electrical output from this facility will be integrated with Basin Electric's other generating resources that are fueled by coal, oil and natural gas. Basin Electric already has four operating wind turbines - two near Minot, N.D., and two near Chamberlain.
East River, a Basin Electric member system, is providing the connection from the Highmore wind farm to the transmission system. The wind farm is located in the service territory of Dakota Energy Cooperative.
Basin Electric is a consumer-owned, regional cooperative headquartered in Bismarck. It generates and transmits electricity to member rural electric systems in nine states, including South Dakota, distributing electricity to about 1.7 million consumers.
FPL Energy is a leading unregulated wholesale generator of clean energy, including natural gas, wind, solar, hydroelectric and nuclear. It is the nation's leader in wind energy, with 31 wind facilities in operation in 10 states. Wind power represents approximately 20 percent of the company's portfolio. It is a subsidiary of FPL Group (NYSE:FPL), one of the nation's largest providers of electricity-related services with annual revenues of more than $8 billion.
This story appeared in the Miller Press, September 30, 2003