Minnesota Power switches to direct-drive turbines for Bison I project

(ADPnews) - Dec 13, 2010 - US local utility Minnesota Power, a unit of energy firm Allete Inc (NYSE:ALE), last week said it had decided to use direct-drive turbines for the second phase of its Bison I wind farm in North Dakota.

The company decided to install 15 units of 3 MW direct-drive turbines next year, instead of the 17 conventional 2.3 MW turbines considered earlier.

The move would result in an additional 10,000 MWh of electricity a year, the utility said.

The new turbines will be supplied from German electronics major Siemens (ETR:SIE).

Delivery is expected in August 2011.

Minnesota Power started the installation of the first phase of Bison I this spring with 16 turbines delivered by Siemens. The plant was completed in October with an installed capacity of 37 MW and is operational at present.

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