Dive Summary:

• Xcel Energy announced Tuesday it will add three large wind farms in Minnesota and North Dakota, constituting the utility’s single largest increase in wind generation in the Upper Midwest.
• The extra 600 megawatts (MW) of wind marks a 33% increase in wind capacity for the Minneapolis-based utility boasting 1,800MW of wind power in the region. The three projects will go into operation in 2015 or sooner and cost at least $700 million.
• Xcel, the nation’s leading wind power utility, will buy power from two planned wind farms in Minnesota and North Dakota developed by Geronimo Energy of Edina, in addition to buying a wind farm planned by RES Americas Development in Minnesota.

From the article:
“Just last week, Xcel announced it will acquire 700 megawatts of power from three new wind farms in Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico for its Southwestern Public Service subsidiary.”