Apex Clean Energy today announced a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Xcel Energy for Dakota Range Wind III and the sale of the wind project to an affiliate of ENGIE North America. This represents Apex’s second major transaction with Xcel Energy and its first with ENGIE.
“Energy trends—including the falling cost of renewables and increased awareness around cutting emissions—are growing the market for the clean energy facilities and services that Apex delivers,” said Mark Goodwin, president and CEO of Apex Clean Energy. “Dakota Range III demonstrates Apex’s flexibility in completing transactions at every stage of the project life cycle, and we’re proud to expand our track record of partnering with forward-looking energy companies like ENGIE and Xcel.”
ENGIE North America completed the purchase of Dakota Wind III, a South Dakota wind farm that will produce 151-MW of energy.
Apex facilitated the PPA with Xcel for the project’s full capacity. Dakota Range Wind III, a 151-MW wind farm located in Grant and Roberts counties in South Dakota, is expected to begin commercial operations in late 2020.
“Dakota Range III continues ENGIE’s significant expansion in the utility-scale renewable market via both greenfield development and acquisition,” said Matt Riley, senior vice president and head of U.S. wind development at ENGIE North America. “We look forward to completing development of the project with Apex by the summer of 2019, and to serving Xcel Energy, one of the most ambitious investors in renewable energy of any utility in the country.”
The project represents the third installment of a four-phase project in northeastern South Dakota. Xcel Energy also purchased the Dakota Range Wind I and II projects.
“We are pleased to once again work with Apex, and now ENGIE, to bring cost-effective renewable energy to our customers,” said Chris Clark, president of Xcel Energy–South Dakota. “We have a clean energy strategy to nearly double the amount of wind energy on our system in the Upper Midwest by 2022 and this investment in Dakota Range III gets us closer to that goal.”
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