Basin Electric today signed two power purchase agreements associated with the development of two new wind projects in North Dakota. The combined capacity is 278 megawatts (MW).

The developer is Infinity Wind Power, Santa Barbara, CA. Infinity Wind Power will be developing the Sunflower Wind Project and the Antelope Hills Wind Project. The Sunflower Wind Project is a 106 MW project to be located in Morton County near Hebron, ND. The Antelope Hills Wind Project is a 172 MW project to be located in Mercer County near Golden Valley, ND.

Andrew M. Serri, Basin Electric CEO and general manager, said this new wind generation will increase the renewable portion of Basin Electric’s generating portfolio, which includes waste heat, to more than 1,000 MW. “This is a result of a request for proposal we issued last June. We received very favorable offers from these developers,” he said. “These projects will fit nicely into our existing generation portfolio.” The projects are planned to be operational by the end of 2015.

“Infinity Wind Power is pleased to provide this low-cost energy resource to Basin Electric. The communities in and around these projects have been incredibly supportive over the years, and we are excited to bring them the economic benefits that come with wind power construction and operation,” said Matt Riley, Infinity Wind Power’s CEO. “Harnessing North Dakota’s wind to provide power to Basin Electric’s diverse membership base has been our objective for several years, so we’re thrilled that these projects are moving forward.”

Original article: Basin Electric