Property owners along the proposed new wind energy farm met with representatives from Prairie Breeze Wind Energy Farm and Invenergy to learn what it means to them.
From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Prairie Breeze Operations & Maintenance Building served as the site of an open house for everyone wishing to learn more about the proposed second wind energy farm for Antelope County.
Invenergy Business Development Manager James Williams, Prairie Breeze manager Eric Kline and others associated with Prairie Breeze met face-to-face with landowners to discuss the necessary steps which need to be taken.
Among the information shared Monday is that the new wind energy farm will be located directly east of Elgin.
Alissa Krisky, director of communications for Invenergy, shared the following information:
“The Prairie Breeze II Wind Energy Center (“Prairie Breeze II”) will be located on approximately 15,000 acres of private land. With an excellent wind resource and strong community support, the area is an optimal location for a successful wind project. As envisioned, Prairie Breeze II would consist of approximately 70 wind turbines, for a total capacity of approximately 125 MW.”
The proposed wind farm will be slightly smaller than the current Prairie Breeze wind farm which has been producing electricity since May 2014. That wind farm consists of 118 wind turbines with a capacity of 200.6 MW.
“As with our existing Prairie Breeze Wind Energy Center, Prairie Breeze II would provide substantial, long-term economic benefits to the local community. The project is expected to generate approximately 200 jobs during construction, and potentially seven permanent operations and maintenance jobs once the farm is operational, along with more than $1 million annually in local tax revenue, lease payments to landowners, and salaries for staff … We look forward to continuing to work closely with our host community in Antelope and Boone Counties, contributing to the area’s economic development, and providing an additional supply of clean, homegrown energy in Nebraska.”
Williams, on behalf of Invenergy, filed for a conditional use permit at the Antelope County Zoning Office on Aug. 4. A public hearing on the permit application will be held on Monday night, at 8 p.m. at the courthouse. The hearing will be before the Antelope County Planning Commission who, following the hearing, will make a recommendation to the Antelope County Board of Supervisors on whether or not to approve the permit application.
