The Nobles Wind Farm Project, a 201 megawatts wind power plant, is in construction in Nobles County, Minnesota, USA. Wind power plant is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity. The wind farm will have 134 GE 1.5 MW turbines spread over 49 square miles of farmland. All of the turbines are to be located within Olney, Dewald, Larkin and Summit Lake townships.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission had approved the Nobles Wind Project in May, 2009. The capital outlay of the project is greater than $500 million. Xcel Energy has partnered with enXco Development Corporation to site, develop and construct the facilities and ownership of the projects will transfer to Xcel Energy in a progressive manner. The owner of this project is NSP, the developer is enXco Development Corp and General Contractor is Mortenson Construction. enXco and Xcel Energy have done a purchase and sale agreement. The electricity generated will be transferred to Northern States Power Company of Minnesota, a subsidiary of Xcel Energy. Xcel Energy assumed ownership of the Nobles Wind Project.

Construction on the 201-megawatt wind farm began in early April 2010. The wind farm is now at an advanced stage of construction. The towers will stand 389 feet tall, including the blade. A wind turbine is a rotary device that extracts energy from the wind. A unique feature of this project is the use of buoyant foundations to accommodate the site’s high water table.

The Nobles Wind Farm Project begin the operational by December 2010 although this will depend largely on the wind speed. On days where the wind gusts are greater than 22 miles per hour at the top of the crane work has to shut down.

When it is completed and in full operation it will produce enough electricity to power approximately 50,000 homes. While the construction is nearing the end the wind farm is already providing some electricity to the grid with wind turbines becoming operational and synchronized to the grid as their construction is completed. The Nobles wind farm will supply electricity to St Paul – the Twin Cities. The Project meets the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission’s commitment to provide clean, renewable energy at a reasonable cost to its consumers.