
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Sept. 22 accepted the Southwest Power Pool filing of an amended, executed Generator Interconnection Agreement with Prairie Breeze Wind Energy II LLC and interconnecting transmission owner the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD).
The Amended Prairie Breeze GIA amends and replaces a June 11 GIA that had previously been lodged with the commission. Prairie Breeze Wind Energy II plans to construct a 73.4-MW wind facility, which will consist of 41 General Electric 1.79-MW XLE wind turbines. The point of interconnection will be at NPPD’s Meadow Grove substation, located in Madison County, Nebraska.
The targeted commercial operation date for this project is Dec. 31, 2015, though the parties agree to use good faith efforts to hit a commercial operation date of Nov. 1, 2015. The project contact information is for Invenergy LLC.
Incidentally, FERC on Sept. 10 accepted a July 15 application from Prairie Breeze Wind Energy III LLC for authorization to make market-based wholesale sales of energy, capacity, and ancillary services pursuant to the market-based rate tariff. Prairie Breeze III plans to construct, own, and operate a 35.8-MW wind project located in Antelope and Boone counties, Nebraska, in the Southwest Power Pool market. FERC wrote in the acceptance letter: “You add that Prairie Breeze III is wholly owned by Invenergy Wind LLC, and is affiliated with entities that own generation facilities throughout the United States.”
The project is estimated to possibly begin generating test power in the fourth quarter of 2015. Concurrently with the filing of the market rate application, Prairie Breeze III also filed with the commission on July 15 a notice of self-certification as an exempt wholesale generator.