The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission issued an order on Jan. 23 approving Tenaska Inc.’s 260 megawatt Nobles 2 wind farm in Nobles County, southwestern Minnesota.

• The project will include between 65 to 82 wind turbines, with a nameplate capacity ranging from 2 to 4.2 megawatts each, spread over approximately 42,200 acres.
• In December, Nobles 2 executed a power purchase agreement with Minnesota Power Enterprises Inc., under which the utility would purchase up to 250 megawatts of capacity from the project. The added renewable energy capacity will help Minnesota Power achieve its goal of 44 percent renewable energy capacity as part of its EnergyForward strategy.
• Construction on Nobles 2 is expected to begin early this year with commercial operation starting late 2019. Tenaska is a subsidiary of Tenaska Energy Inc., Minnesota Power is a subsidiary of ALLETE Inc.