MidAmerican Energy Wind VIII project on track

MidAmerican Energy has completed work on four of the five wind farms that make up its $1.9 billion, 1,050-megawatt Wind VIII project.

The Des Moines-based utility announced plans in May 2013 for the largest economic development project in the state's history. When completed and operating at full capacity, Wind VIII's 448 turbines at five wind farm sites will provide enough energy to power the equivalent of 1 million average Iowa homes.

The three wind farms completed in 2014 - Lundgren in Webster County, Macksburg in Madison County, and Wellsburg in Grundy County - account for a total of 511.4 megawatts of wind generation capacity.

The Vienna II 44.6-megawatt wind farm in Marshall County was finished and operational in 2013.

MidAmerican Energy said the final piece of the Wind VIII project - the 495-megawatt Highland wind farm in O'Brien County - is scheduled for completion by the end of this year.

'With more than half the turbines in our Wind VIII project up and running, we've reached a major milestone in the development of another sustainable energy solution for our customers,” said Adam Wright, vice president of wind generation and development for MidAmerican Energy. 'By 2016, we will be able to produce enough energy from wind to meet the equivalent of approximately half of the electricity needs of our retail customers.”

MidAmerican Energy constructed its first wind farm in 2004. When Wind VIII is completed, the utility's wind generation fleet will expand to 1,715 turbines with a total investment of nearly $6 billion.

The Wind VIII project provides annual lease payments to the owners of land where wind turbines are constructed. MidAmerican Energy estimates it will generate more than $360 million in additional property tax revenues over the next 30 years.