Nebraska utility planning wind energy expansion (400 MW)

[jpak]

http://www.kptm.com/Global/story.asp?S=8716578&nav=menu606_2

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska's biggest provider of electricity is planning to help develop and buy enough wind energy over the next 12 years to power about 94,000 more homes.

Nebraska Public Power District officials say they'll work with private developers on what could be more than $1 billion in projects across the state.

The private companies would build windmill farms that would generate more than 400 megawatts in all. NPPD would build transmission lines to them and contract for much of the electricity.

NPPD says that in a normal year, it gets about 59% of its electricity from its coal plants, nearly 23% from its nuclear plant, and nearly 3% from dams. Another 1% come from wind, more than 2% from natural gas or oil, and more than 12% is purchased from other sources.

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