With the assent of the developer, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on Nov. 12 terminated a site permit held by G. McNeilus Wind LLC (GMW) for an up to 18.2-MW wind project in Dodge County.
In September 2004, the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board issued a wind farm permit to G. McNeilus Wind. Among other conditions, the permit requires the company to begin construction within two years after the permit was issued or advise the commission why it failed to do so.
On June 12, the Minnesota Department of Commerce sent a letter to the company inquiring about the project’s status and requesting an informational filing. On Sept. 10, the company filed a letter stating that market conditions had changed since the permit was issued and that constructing the wind farm had become uneconomical.
“GMW states that it does not intend to expend additional resources to preserve its site permit due to changes in the economics of wind facilities in the region, challenging market conditions, and the cost of complying with permit conditions,” said the Nov. 12 order. “Under these circumstances, there is no public interest in the permit’s remaining in effect. The Commission will therefore revoke the permit.”
