County board gets update on wind project

Mark Lennox, project manager for NextEra’s Dodge County Wind, was at the Dodge County Board meeting last week to update commissioners on the project. He  was joined by Zachary Ruzycki of Great River Energy which is contracted to purchase the electricity produced by the wind turbines.

Lennox said that Dodge County Wind has been listening to the comments and concerns of residents and those affected by the turbines and transmission lines.

Questions and concerns, he said, have been raised about traffic safety, navigation by farm equipment, how the project would impact ditches, snow removal, maintenance and how it would affect aerial crop spraying.

Dodge County Wind is addressing these issues, he said. Design of the proposed route for the transmission line is about 60 percent completed, he said, but changes are still possible.

For Great River Energy, Ruzycki said, this is an exciting project. It will make production of energy much cleaner and lower cost electricity and the company is excited to partner with Dodge County Wind.

Great River, he said, recently sold its largest coal power plant in North Dakota as it expands its use of renewable energy.

Commissioner Rhonda Toquam said that the transmission lines are the area where there seems to be the most concern from local residents. Her constituents, she said, “are not happy.”

Commissioner Rod Peterson added that he understood that most of the energy generated by the project would not stay in Minnesota as the electric grid is operated by another entity.

He also agreed that the power lines are the big issue and also right-of-way.

County Engineer Guy Kohlnhofer said he was still seeing a major challenge and it was getting down to the “nitty gritty” of each pole location.

Regardless of the final route, Lennox said, Dodge County Wind plans to conduct due diligence in looking at each pole location. The company intends to comply with all requirements, he said.

“We appreciate it and want renewable energy,” Peterson said. “There are concerns. We want to be sure everybody is satisfied.”

Dodge County Wind is seeking permits to construct 79 wind turbines and a 27-mile-long transmission line mainly through Dodge County but beginning in Steele County and ending in Mower County.

The project is currently under review by state officials and the final decision on whether or not the project will be given approval and the exact route of the transmission lines will be made by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.