Plum Creek Wind Farm and Associated 345 kV Transmission Line Project

Plum Creek Wind Farm, LLC (Plum Creek or Applicant), a subsidiary of Geronimo Power, LLC, proposes to construct a 414 MW wind farm in Cottonwood, Murray, and Redwood County. The wind farm would include up to 74 wind turbines; the final number of turbines will depend on the turbine type(s) selected for the project. Electric power from the turbines would be collected at two collector substations. The wind farm would be connected to the electric transmission grid by approximately 31 miles of 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission line. The line would interconnect with the existing Brookings County to Hampton 345 kV transmission line via a switching station in Redwood County.  

On September 23, 2021, the Commission issued an order approving a certificate of need, site permit, and route permit to Plum Creek for the Plum Creek Project. In response to requests from Plum Creek, the Commission amended the site permits in January 2022 to clarify certain reporting requirements, in July 2023 to extend the time by which construction on the project must commence, and in September 2025 to use different turbine models, shift the location of a collector station, and extend the in-service date and date by which construction must commence.