MEAN earns EPA award for wind project

An aerial view of MEAN's wind farm near Kimball, Neb. The seven turbines generate enough electricity to annually power 4,000 homes.

The Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska received a Pollution Prevention Environmental Excellence award Sept. 20, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during ceremonies in Kansas City, Mo. MEAN is the wholesale electricity supply organization of the Lincoln-based Nebraska Municipal Power Pool.

NMPP Energy Chief Executive Officer Richard Duxbury said MEAN was selected to receive the EPA Region 7 award for construction of Nebraska’s first and largest wind farm near Kimball, Neb., and its work in the area of energy efficiency and renewable or alternative energy resources.

Project benefits ratepayers

“We are indeed proud to be named as a recipient for this prestigious award. The MEAN Wind Project at Kimball will be a great benefit to the environment and a cost-effective source of renewable energy for our member communities and their ratepayers,” Duxbury said.

The 10.5-megawatt wind project consisting of seven turbines, located three miles northwest of Kimball, began commercial operation Oct. 1. The project generates about 2 to 3 percent of MEAN’s total energy requirements. Each turbine generates up to 1,500 kilowatts and cost about $2 million to construct. The annual output of the project will provide energy for nearly 4,000 homes.

MEAN formally dedicated the project on Nov. 13.

Exceeding expectations

NMPP Communications Manager Bob Selzer noted the Kimball wind project has exceeded the company's own expectations. A total of 25 Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming communities have agreed to purchase a portion of their future power needs from the wind project at Kimball.

The Nebraska towns of Alliance, Ansley, Arnold, Bayard, Benkelman, Bridgeport, Broken Bow, Burwell, Callaway, Curtis, Gering, Imperial, Kimball, Mitchell, Morrill, Oxford, Red Cloud, Sidney, Stuart, West Point and Wood River all signed agreements to buy power from the Kimball turbines. Aspen, Glenwood Springs and Lyons, Colo. and Gillette, Wyo., also signed up. Each has committed to supplementing its power supply needs with wind energy. Several more towns in Nebraska and Colorado are also considering including wind energy in their power resource portfolio.

A commitment to renewable, clean energy

Duxbury said, “The governing body of each of these municipal communities should be commended for committing to provide an environmentally clean form of energy. The MEAN wind project at Kimball will be a great benefit to the environment and will be a cost-effective source of renewable energy for these communities and their ratepayers."

“Wind energy is a viable alternative for a portion of our electric generation needs,” said Bill Leung, MEAN chief operating officer. “With this project, MEAN will continue to be a leader in the energy field. We are very happy to have exceeded our expectations with the number of communities who signed the agreements for energy from the Kimball wind project.”

The project is the largest wind farm in Nebraska, according to Leung and was built by the Tennessee Valley Infrastructure Group.

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