NextEra Dodge County wind farm application suspended but, “The project is definitely not dead,” said one NextEra official

At the Dodge County Commissioners meeting Jan. 14, representatives from NextEra Energy explained to the commissioners that the application to the state Public Utilities Commission for the Dodge County Wind Project has been suspended.

The 170-megawatt project also had associated facilities in Steele and Olmsted Counties.

The suspension also includes the route permit for the 345-kV high-voltage transmission line in Dodge and Olmsted Counties.

The officials stressed that the project has not been abandoned; just postponed. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2022.

At that time, taller wind turbines with longer blades will probably be used as the technology improves.

The officials explained that the grid operator that was to transmit the power must first have significant upgrades completed to their infrastructure. That project is quite distant from this territory.