Contact: Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Daniel P. Wolf
Telephone: 651.201.2217
Fax: 651.297.7073 

St. Paul, Minnesota - The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission today voted 2-1 to deny approval of the Avian and Bat Protection Plan (ABPP) submitted by the developer for the Goodhue Wind project. After reviewing the record relating to the proposed plan, including agency comments and public testimony, the Commissioners raised several concerns about the adequacy of the information in the ABPP presented by AWA Goodhue, LLC. Although the motion was to deny approval of the Plan, it also acknowledged AWA Goodhue’s ability to resubmit a new plan once the inadequacies identified by the Commission have been addressed. Commissioners O’Brien and Wergin voted for the motion; Commissioner Boyd voted in opposition. Although he agreed that the proposed ABPP was inadequate, Commissioner Boyd preferred to delay approval until the Plan could be supplemented. 

The Commission granted a Site Permit for the project by an Order dated August 23, 2011. Among the several conditions contained in that Permit is a requirement that AWA Goodhue develop an ABPP in consultation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The ABPP needed to be submitted to the Commission for approval prior to construction. 

The Goodhue Wind project is an undertaking by AWA Goodhue, LLC to build a 50-turbine, 78- megawatt wind facility in Goodhue County. The project encompasses an area of approximately 32,700 acres located just west of the city of Goodhue in the townships of Belle Creek, Goodhue, Minneola, Vasa, and Zumbrota. Energy produced by the facility is anticipated to be sold to Xcel Energy. 

Final written orders formally documenting the Commission’s decisions will be issued within a few weeks. The Order will be filed in docket IP6701/WS-08-1233