Invenergy Opens Office In Neligh, Has Buyer For Wind Project

Wind developer Invenergy recently opened an office in downtown Neligh to support the proposed expansion of Prairie Breeze near Elgin and expansion of Prairie Breeze II. 

On Friday morning, Lincoln mayor Chris Beutler and Kevin Wailes, administrator & CEO of Lincoln Electric System (LES), announced LES has finalized power purchase agreements with Invenergy, the Chicago-based independent renewable-power producer, to to add 173 megawatts of wind energy to its power supply resource portfolio by 2016. 

Those wind additions are spread across two wind contracts, including the 73 megawatt Prairie Breeze II Wind Energy Center. In October, the Antelope County Supervisors approved a conditional use permit for the construction of a new wind farm, which would be located in the Antelope County townships of Logan, Cedar, Grant, Elgin, Oakdale and Burnett. 

"We've been working with landowners in the Neligh area since 2010 and have been delighted with their interest in hosting wind turbines. More recently, we established our local office as part of our development plans," said James Williams, Senior Manager, Business Development. "It provides a central location to support the proposed expansion of the Prairie Breeze project near Elgin, as well as a new power generation project, which would be sited north and east of town."

Invenergy's office in Neligh is located at 116 E. 4th Street, next to the recently remodeled Imperial II Steakhouse.

Williams said Invenergy representatives at the Neligh office location are meeting with landowners who currently are project participants, as well as those interested in participating in these projects.

"With an excellent wind resource and strong community support, Antelope County is an outstanding location for wind power generation. We're proud that our Prairie Breeze Wind Energy Center, with an operations office located in Elgin, contributes more than $3 million annually to the local economy through tax revenue, landowner payments and staff salaries," Williams said. 

"We look forward to providing the community with further project updates in the future, and to creating a new source of clean, homegrown energy in Nebraska," Williams said.

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