Renewable

June 11 (Renewables Now) - US renewable energy developer Geronimo Energy has been given the green light to build an up-to-400-MW wind farm in Clark County, South Dakota.

The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Friday voted to grant a construction permit to Crocker Wind Farm LLC, a fully-owned subsidiary of Geronimo Energy.  

The project involves a wind power plant consisting of up to 120 turbines and an associated 5.2-mile (8.4 km) 345-kV overhead transmission line. The wind farm is expected to start operations by the fourth quarter of 2019.

The permit has 40 conditions attached to it relating to issues such as road protections, decommissioning and aircraft detection lighting. One of the conditions calls for the developer to provide a public liaison officer to assist in communication among landowners, area residents and PUC staff and help to resolve problems or complaints.

The approval followed a public input hearing in February and an evidentiary hearing in May. The application for the project was submitted in December 2017 and the PUC then had six months to make a decision.