Wind XI receives final order from Iowa Utilities Board

MidAmerican Energy Company received the final order for Wind XI – a project that will include the construction of a 1,000 wind turbines – from the Iowa Utilities Board on Friday.

Plans for Wind XI began with an announcement in April, and wind sites are expected to begin being placed into service starting in 2017 and continuing through 2019.

“This is an exciting day for our customers, the state of Iowa and MidAmerican Energy,” Bill Fehrman, president and CEO of MidAmerican Energy, said. “We thank the board for its support and for moving quickly to deliver this ruling.”

Wind XI will supplement Iowa’s electricity generation with up to 2,000 megawatts of wind generation spread across multiple sites.

“Wind energy helps us keep prices stable and more affordable for customers, provides jobs and economic benefits for communities and the state, and contributes to a cleaner environment for everyone,” Fehrman said.

Landowner easement and property tax payments related to the Wind XI project are anticipated to generate more than $1.2 billion over the next 40 years, while the project will require no financial assistance from the state to cover construction costs. Thousands of construction workers will be hired during the building phase of the project, and hundreds of new permanent jobs will be created once Wind XI is complete.