Farmers in talks to build 69 MW wind farm in Colorado

Ranchers and farmers that own farmland and grasslands in Prowers County, Colorado are in talks to tuck a 69 MW wind farm in between two existing projects near Lamar in the southeastern part of the state. Prairie Wind Energy (PWE) plans to erect 46, 1.5 MW wind turbines later this year, or early in 2006 and to sell the power to Xcel Energy, the state's largest electric utility. Xcel released a solicitation in 2004 for 400 MW of wind energy. When completed, the PWE project would sit eight miles southeast of Lamar, between the 162 MW Colorado Green project, completed in 2003 by PPM Energy and Shell Wind Energy, and the 6 MW Lamar Wind Energy project owned by Lamar Power & Light and the Arkansas River Power Authority, completed in 2004. The PWE project, which will require additional transmission lines, is in the process of obtaining environmental permits.