Regulators approve 2 ND wind projects

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota regulators have approved the construction of two new wind projects capable of generating almost 300 megawatts of power.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative wants to build a 115-megawatt wind farm about 12 miles south of Minot.

Rough Rider Wind LLC has plans for wind turbines to generate 175 megawatts in Dickey County, about 15 miles northwest of Ellendale.

North Dakota's Public Service Commission voted Wednesday to give the go-ahead to both projects. Commissioner Tony Clark says there were no objections about the placement of specific wind towers.

Commission Chairman Kevin Cramer says at year's end, North Dakota should have close to 1,000 megawatts of wind power generation capacity. Cramer says at the start of the decade, the state had no wind projects.

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