On Dec. 15, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin approved a Nov. 2 application from Northern States Power Co.-Wisconsin (NSPW) to certify the Border Winds Farm as a renewable facility.
This 150-MW generating facility, located in North Dakota, was placed in service on Oct. 15, 2015, and consists of 66 wind turbines, each with about 2.3 MW of capacity. The facility is owned by Northern States Power Co.-Minnesota (NSPM) and operated by its parent, Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL).
The Border Wind Farm facility has met the Wisconsin commission’s criteria for certification as a renewable facility because: electricity is generated using a renewable resource; NSPW has completed the Renewable Facility Registration Report, Form 6025; and NSPW has demonstrated that the facility’s output is physically metered.
NSPW is entitled to the renewable resource credits and other environmental attributes associated with the energy generated by the Border Winds facility to the extent Wisconsin retail customers have paid for the energy, renewable resource credits and other environmental attributes from that facility, consistent with the Interchange Agreement between NSPW and NSPM as approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
The Wisconsin PSC on Dec. 15 also approved a Nov. 2 application from NSPW to certify the Pleasant Valley Wind Farm as a renewable facility. This 200-MW wind facility, located in Minnesota, was placed in service on Oct. 15, 2015, consists of 100 2-MW wind turbines, and is owned by NSPM and operated by Xcel Energy.
