Connecting enXco?s wind farm in North Dakota to the grid

“In addition to connecting enXco’s wind farm to the grid, the increased transmission capabilities of this project will support the development of additional wind energy in southeastern North Dakota”

The approximately $21 million project would connect a proposed wind power generation farm being developed by enXco, an EDF Energies Nouvelles Company (PARIS:EEN), to the electric grid. The 150-megawatt wind farm, called the Merricourt Wind Project, is in Dickey and McIntosh counties in southeastern North Dakota.

The 230-kilovolt transmission line will extend approximately 30 miles from Ellendale, N.D., to the proposed wind farm. The substation will be located near the wind farm. Construction is expected to begin next week, with completion expected early in the first quarter of 2012.

“In addition to connecting enXco’s wind farm to the grid, the increased transmission capabilities of this project will support the development of additional wind in southeastern North Dakota,” said David L. Goodin, president and CEO of Montana-Dakota Utilities.

Montana-Dakota customers will not bear any of the costs associated with the project; those costs will be recovered through an approved interconnect tariff.

enXco has received all permits necessary to begin construction from the North Dakota Public Service Commission and Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and is ready to build if the utility purchaser, Northern States Power, agrees to resolve litigation over its attempt to terminate the project.

“enXco thanks the Commission for once again demonstrating that they recognize the importance of North Dakota’s significant wind resource and the economic benefits that a renewable energy project brings to the local community,” stated Steve Peluso, senior vice president for origination.

Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. distributes natural gas and generates, transmits and distributes electricity and provides related services in the northern Great Plains. The company serves approximately 125,000 electric customers and 245,000 natural gas customers in 262 communities in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Montana-Dakota is a division of MDU Resources Group, Inc., a multidimensional natural resources enterprise traded on the New York Stock Exchange as “MDU.”

enXco, an EDF Energies Nouvelles Company, develops, constructs, owns, operates and manages renewable energy projects throughout the United States. For more than two decades, the company has been a leader in wind-energy focusing on large-scale wind projects. Today enXco’s portfolio includes solar and biomass technologies in an effort to help drive the nation’s transition to a sustainable energy economy. enXco is a significant owner and developer of wind-energy installations in the United States, and is the leading third-part operations and maintenance provider for wind farms in North America.

www.edf-energies-nouvelles.com