Marshall Wind Energy LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of RPM Access LLC, has commenced construction of its 74 MW wind farm in Marshall County near Beattie, Kansas. Since project initialization in 2009, local landowner and community enthusiasm coupled with mutually beneficial arrangements established with Marshall County have underpinned the ongoing success of this development effort.
Marshall Wind Energy executed a high voltage transmission interconnection agreement with Westar Energy and Southwest Power Pool in mid-2011. Under the terms of this arrangement, the two companies are coordinating their efforts to pursue all design, engineering and construction activities related to the Westar 115kV Marshall County Wind Farm Switching Station and the Marshall Energy Rock Substation. Energization is scheduled for August 2014 with wind farm commercial operations expected by year end 2014.
A contract has also been signed with Mortenson Construction to provide balance-of-plant design and construction management activities. Marshall Wind has established a local business office in Beattie. An on-site construction management office and equipment have been mobilized to support construction of access roads to wind turbine locations along with substation site grading and foundation work activities that are now underway.
Renewable energy generated by the project will be purchased by multiple entities via long-term contracts. In September, Marshall Wind signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for 20 MW with the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission (MJMEUC). The project will qualify for current renewable production tax credits (PTCs). Located within the Southwest Power Pool market region, Marshall Wind in 2014 is ideally positioned to offer for sale under long-term contract(s) the remaining available capacity.
The project is anticipated to create more than 150 jobs during the construction phase and approximately four permanent positions. The wind farm will also benefit the community by strengthening the local economy and providing a steady flow of revenue to Marshall County.
RPM Access, headquartered in De Soto, Iowa, is an independent developer, owner and operator of wind projects with its main focus on the development of high quality wind farms in the Midwest. Since 2000, RPM Access has initiated and developed more than 1,000 megawatts of wind farm assets.