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Stephanie Hemphill
ST. PAUL, Minn.

Xcel ends agreement on Goodhue wind

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Xcel Energy and the New Era Wind Farm have ended their power purchase agreement, making it even more unlikely the controversial Goodhue county wind project will be built.

It's yet another setback in a series of difficulties for New Era Wind Farm.

Neighbors fought the project. Then the state of Minnesota rejected its protection plan for birds and bats. And New Era Wind Farm has changed ownership.

In a report Wednesday to the Public Utilities Commission, Xcel Energy said it won't buy electricity produced by the 50 turbines that were planned for Goodhue county.

Later this week, the PUC is expected to require New Era to surrender its site permit, which expires in August. That ruling will give the company ten days to prove it can start construction by August 23rd. If it cannot do so, the company will lose both its site permit and its certificate of need.

Efforts to reach a representative of New Era Wind were not successful.