EDF Renewables North America announced today that the 100 megawatt (MW) Stoneray Wind Project (Project) is fully operational. Located in Pipestone and Murray counties in Southwestern Minnesota, the Project consists of 39 wind turbines manufactured by Siemens Gamesa. The electricity generated by the project will be delivered to SMMPA beginning in 2020 under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
The expected electricity generated at full capacity is enough to meet the consumption of up to 47,000 average Minnesota homes. This is equivalent to avoiding more than 300,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually which represents the greenhouse gas emissions from 64,000 passenger vehicles driven over the course of one year.
Vice President, Development-North Region, Kate O’Hair, commented, “We are grateful for the community and landowners who backed the development of this project for several years. This level of long-standing support, along with the State’s favorable regulatory environment, excellent wind resource, and advantageous transmission expansion, is vital to bringing wind projects to operation.”
EDF Renewables will perform asset management services, balance-of-plant, and 24/7/365 remote monitoring and diagnostics from its San Diego-based Operations Control Center (OCC) during the equipment warranty period. Following the warranty period, the contract will expand to include all asset management, and operations and maintenance services to ensure operational performance, equipment availability and reduce downtime.
Stoneray marks EDF Renewables’ twelfth wind project developed in the state and brings the total of projects to over 1.6 GW demonstrating the company’s commitment to investment, involvement and employment in Minnesota.