MidAmerican Energy’s second wind turbine project in Greene County is almost complete.
Media Relations Manager Geoff Greenwood tells Raccoon Valley Radio all 85 wind turbines for the second phase of the Beaver Creek Wind Turbine project are erected. He says all underground cable has been installed and the last remaining tasks are doing a series of tests and making adjustments, along with results in an operational turbine and land restoration.
When the first phase of the turbines were built last year, the turbines were split between Greene and Boone counties, with 41 being built in Greene County. All of those were located in the northeastern portion of the county. The additional 85 turbines in the second phase started in the northeastern corner, with the westernmost turbine being located near Q Avenue and the southernmost turbine about one mile north of Highway 30.
Greenwood notes that the 85 turbines are expected to be fully operational by mid-October. He says the main reasons why the second set of turbines are on pace to be operational faster than the first set, which were operational by December of 2017, is because the main staging areas were already in place and the substation was already built. He adds that the 85 turbines are estimated to bring in about $67 million in property taxes to Greene County over the lifespan of the turbines.