Alliant Energy breaks ground on Cedar Ridge wind project
From a press release on the Web site of Alliant Energy:
EDEN, WI – October 25, 2007 – Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation (NYSE: LNT), broke ground this morning on the Cedar Ridge Wind Farm – the company’s first fully owned and operated wind farm. Once complete, the site will produce enough energy to power at least 17,000 homes.
“This is an important day for Alliant Energy and our customers as we continue to strive to meet the increasing demand for “green” energy,” said Bill Harvey, President and Chief Executive Officer for Alliant Energy.
The Cedar Ridge Wind Farm will cover a 12.2-square mile area in the townships of Eden and Empire in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. Forty-one Vestas wind turbines will dot the landscape – generating approximately 68 megawatts of electricity. A community learning center and educational kiosk are also planned, to allow people from around Wisconsin to get an “up-close” look at the wind farm.
“Today’s groundbreaking is a step forward in Governor Doyle’s efforts to move Wisconsin into a position to be a leader in alternative energy and to get a handle on global climate change,” said Matt Frank, secretary of Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources.
The Cedar Ridge Wind Farm is the latest example of Alliant Energy’s commitment to renewable energy choices. Building on an already-robust renewable portfolio, the company plans to add an additional 400 megawatts of wind power to its portfolio by the end of 2010. In addition, the proposed expansion of the Nelson Dewey Generating Station, in Cassville, Wisconsin, is being designed with the capability to burn renewable resource fuels, such as wood, corn stover, or switchgrass.
