Siemens Energy has been awarded a major order by Minnesota Power for 64-units of the company’s latest 3-MW D3 platform wind turbines to be installed at the Bison Wind Energy Center near New Salem, North Dakota. The innovative wind turbines feature a 113-meter rotor and 92.5-meter hub height. Installation of the turbines is scheduled to begin in mid-June 2014, and commercial operation is slated for December 2014. The scope of supply includes transportation, installation and commissioning, as well as a three-year service and maintenance agreement.
The blades will be manufactured at Siemens’ facility in Fort Madison, Iowa. Additionally, the D3 nacelle component will be assembled here in Hutchinson. Assembly of this specific major component was recently moved from the company’s nacelle facility in Brande, Denmark, to Hutchinson, which further demonstrates the company’s commitment to the U.S. wind industry.
The 205-MW Bison 4 addition will increase Minnesota Power’s Bison Wind Energy Center’s total MW output to nearly 500 MW. Siemens also supplied all of the wind turbines for the previous three phases of the Bison Wind Energy Center, which went into commercial operation in 2010 and 2012.