Renewable

January 19 (Renewables Now) - US electric cooperative Great River Energy (GRE) has agreed to procure clean power from a 400-MW wind project under development by Apex Clean Energy in North Dakota.

The partners have reached an agreement in principle and intend to sign a contract for the power procurement, Apex said on Tuesday. The arrangement concerns Apex’s Discovery Wind project in North Dakota’s McLean County that is due to go online in 2025.

The wind farm will supply electricity through a 436-mile high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission system, which is being purchased from GRE by Nexus Line, a subsidiary of Rainbow Energy.

Minnesota-based GRE is phasing out or selling remaining coal-fired plants and is in the process of doubling its renewable energy capacity. According to the statement, the Discovery project will fulfill a significant portion of the renewable energy needs for the company’s power supply transition. The cooperative has also pledged to cut by more than 80% its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2025.

"Our members will enjoy stable wholesale electric rates for years while providing clean and reliable energy to Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin,” said GRE's CEO David Saggau.

The electric cooperative is currently converting a coal-fired station in North Dakota to run primarily on natural gas and plans to switch on a 1-MW long-duration battery facility in Cambridge, Minnesota by late 2023.

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