When Hoosier Energy, an Indiana-based generation and transmission cooperative, wanted renewable energy assets they could add to their generation portfolio quickly, they looked to their neighbors in Illinois to help make it happen.
The 100-megawatt Rail Splitter Wind Farm in Illinois will be sending 25 percent of its output onto co-op lines before the end of the year. The power produced is headed for co-op lines in Indiana and southeastern Illinois.
“The Rail Splitter Wind Farm is a proven Midwest provider of renewable energy that will provide benefits for our members,” said Heath Norrick, Renewable Energy Manager for the Bloomington, Ind.-based G&T. “This whole project came together quickly.”
Under a 15-year power purchase agreement, the 18 distribution co-ops will receive about 25 MW of the wind farm’s total output beginning in December. That represents about 74,000 megawatt-hours of energy annually for co-op members.
“That should be enough electricity to power about 7,500 homes in southern Indiana and southeastern Illinois,” said Paul Cummings, a Hoosier Energy renewable energy analyst.
“Our agreement with EDP Renewables adds more wind resources to our portfolio, which already includes wind, hydro, landfill methane and coal bed methane generation,” said Steve Smith, Hoosier Energy’s president and CEO.
