KIMT 3 News | Mike Bunge, May 3
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Dodge County Wind Project has been approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.
The project, developed by NextEra Energy Resources, will consist of 72 turbines. Most of the turbines will be in western Dodge County, with some in Steele County. The 27 miles of 161-kilovolt transmission lines will go to Great River Energy’s Pleasant Valley Substation in Mower County.
“The Dodge County Wind Project is a prime example of how public input is vital to the Commission,” says Commissioner John Tuma. “The recommendations from the stakeholder group, along with hundreds of public comments really changed the trajectory of the project, and honestly, is one of the main reasons we were able to approve it.”
NextEra Energy Resources says the electricity generated from the 252-megawatt wind farm will be sold to Great River Energy which supplies power to its 27 member-owned cooperatives. Plans are for the project to create more than 400 construction jobs as well as millions in economic activity to the area during construction.
In 2023 a stakeholder group made up of representatives from Ashland, Hayfield, Ripley, and Sargeant townships, and Dodge and Mower counties, helped guide discussions on some of the challenges facing the project, including transmission line route options. The Commission reviewed the proposed routes and approved the “hybrid route alternative.” This route, recommended by many stakeholders, impacts fewer residences, allows more flexibility when siting poles, and makes it easier to address safety concerns and environmental impacts.
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