Ainsworth wind farm ready for dedication

LINCOLN (AP) - Now that the Ainsworth Wind Energy Facility is running, officials expect its 36 turbines to generate enough electricity to power about 19,000 homes each year.

The facility, completed Aug. 15 and operational last month, will increase Nebraska's wind energy generation by a factor of six, said Omaha Sen. Don Preister, a longtime promoter of the renewable energy resource.

“It's a dramatic increase,” he said, of the expected 60-megawatt production of the turbines.

Today, Preister, other state senators and Gov. Dave Heineman are expected to attend a dedication ceremony at the plant, about six miles south of Ainsworth.

The state's other commercial wind turbines are near Springview, Kimball, Lincoln and Omaha. The Nebraska Public Power District, which operates the facility, does not have immediate plans to build more wind turbines, said spokeswoman Beth Boesch. The utility hopes to one day have 5 percent of its energy come from renewable sources, such as wind, she said.

Wind energy helps the environment by reducing mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, Preister said. It also helps Nebraska's landowners, who will be paid rent for use of their land, he said.

“Instead of sending money to the Wyoming coal fields, we're giving this money to farmers in Nebraska,” he said.

The community has welcomed the project, said Bill Fehrman, CEO of NPPD.

Russ Moody, mayor of Ainsworth, said the town was appreciative of the project and the economic benefits it brought. Moody could not put a dollar value on the impact of the project, but said it created a small boom for about six months as cafes, restaurants and motels filled with workers. Kristi Thornburg, city administrator for Ainsworth, said it was also difficult to quantify the economic impact of the $81.3 million project.

“It's just been a great asset,” Thornburg said.

Other partners in the Ainsworth project include Omaha Public Power District, Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, Grand Island Utilities and the Jacksonville Electric Authority, based in Florida.