Siemens completes wind turbine project in Iowa
Siemens Energy, Mortenson Construction, and MidAmerican Energy Company have completed the expansion of MidAmerican Energy's wind project near Pomeroy, Iowa.
Thirteen Siemens wind turbines were erected at the site, creating an additional 29.9 megawatts of generation capacity.
The 13 units are the first of 258 wind turbines Siemens is providing and Mortenson Construction is erecting at three MidAmerican Energy wind projects in Iowa this year.
In December 2010, at the conclusion of a competitive tender process, MidAmerican Energy and Siemens entered into a turbine supply agreement for 258 Siemens SWT-2.3-101 wind turbines, with an output of 2.3 megawatts each.
The total project will add 593.4 megawatts to MidAmerican Energy's generation, which is enough capacity to power approximately 190,000 homes, the companies said.
The Pomeroy wind expansion project is located in Pocahontas and Calhoun counties, and the remaining 245 wind turbines will be erected in Cass, Adams, Adair and Marshall counties at MidAmerican Energy's Rolling Hills and Laurel wind projects by year-end.
Siemens is supplying the turbines, as well as providing operation, maintenance and warranty service for the project. Mortenson Construction, based in Minneapolis, Minn., was selected through a separate competitive tender process by MidAmerican Energy to construct the wind projects and to install access roads, underground electrical collection systems and internal tower wiring.
"The Pomeroy wind expansion project serves as another example of the strong commitment all three companies have to expanding the region's renewable energy capacity and the fast pace at which our organizations can bring projects to successful completion," said Jan Kjaersgaard, vice president and general manager of Siemens Energy's Wind Power Americas business.
With a 600,000-square-foot wind turbine blade manufacturing factory located in Fort Madison, Iowa, Siemens' US wind power operations currently include nine facilities.
Siemens says it has made significant strides to grow its presence in the wind energy industry in the US and now enjoys a No. 2 position in the market in terms of installed capacity.
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