Invenergy Announces Start of Commercial Operation for Prairie Breeze II Wind Energy Center

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Invenergy Wind LLC recently announced the completion of construction and the start of commercial operation of its Prairie Breeze II Wind Energy Center in Antelope and Boone counties in Nebraska. The facility officially began operating in mid-December 2015.

Prairie Breeze II is located near the town of Elgin, approximately 100 miles northwest of Lincoln. The facility has the capacity to generate approximately 73 MW of power from 20 GE 1.79-MW wind turbines. Project output will be sold to the City of Grand Island, Nebraska, under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA).

“We’re pleased to begin operating the second phase of our Prairie Breeze Wind Energy Center,” said Mick Baird, Invenergy’s vice president of business development for the west region. “When complete, Prairie Breeze will provide more than 300 MW of clean energy to our customers in Nebraska — a state with tremendous wind resources.”

Prairie Breeze II is the second phase of Invenergy’s Prairie Breeze Wind Energy Center. Prairie Breeze I, a 201-MW facility in Antelope and Boone counties, began operation in 2014. Prairie Breeze III — a 36-MW facility in Antelope County — completed financial close in the fourth quarter of 2015 and is currently under construction. TerraForm Power, Inc. will acquire approximately 90 percent of Prairie Breeze II and III as part of the second closing of the acquisition of wind power plants from Invenergy announced in December 2015. The second closing is expected to occur in the second quarter of 2016 after Prairie Breeze III commences operations.

A full-time staff of 18 Invenergy employees will operate and maintain the entire Prairie Breeze Wind Energy Center facility. All phases will bring significant economic benefit to the local community through job creation and tax revenue that will continue throughout the life of the projects. 

— Source: Invenergy

For more information,
go to www.invenergyllc.com.