Charlottesville, VA, Dec. 19, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apex Clean Energy today announced the execution of a PPA with Xcel Energy for Dakota Range Wind III and the sale of the wind project to an affiliate of ENGIE North America. This represents Apex’s second major transaction with Xcel Energy and its first with ENGIE.
“Energy trends—including the falling cost of renewables and increased awareness around cutting emissions—are growing the market for the clean energy facilities and services that Apex delivers,” said Mark Goodwin, Apex Clean Energy president and CEO. “Dakota Range III demonstrates Apex’s flexibility in completing transactions at every stage of the project life cycle, and we’re proud to expand our track record of partnering with forward-looking energy companies like ENGIE and Xcel.”
“Dakota Range III continues ENGIE’s significant expansion in the utility-scale renewable market via both greenfield development and acquisition,” said Matt Riley, senior vice president and head of U.S. wind development at ENGIE North America. “We look forward to completing development of the project with Apex by the summer of 2019, and to serving Xcel Energy, one of the most ambitious investors in renewable energy of any utility in the country.”
Apex facilitated the PPA with Xcel for the project’s full capacity. Dakota Range Wind III, located in Grant and Roberts Counties, is expected to begin commercial operations in late 2020.
“We are pleased to once again work with Apex, and now ENGIE, to bring cost-effective renewable energy to our customers,” said Chris Clark, president, Xcel Energy–South Dakota. “We have a clean energy strategy to nearly double the amount of wind energy on our system in the Upper Midwest by 2022 and this investment in Dakota Range III gets us closer to that goal.”
The 151.2 MW project represents the third installment of a four-phase project in northeastern South Dakota. Xcel Energy also purchased the Dakota Range Wind I and II projects.
About Apex Clean Energy
Apex Clean Energy develops, constructs, and operates utility-scale wind and solar power facilities across North America. Our mission-driven team of more than 200 renewable energy experts uses a data-focused approach and an unrivaled portfolio of projects to create solutions for the world’s most innovative and forward-thinking customers. For more information on how Apex is leading the transition to a clean energy future, visit www.apexcleanenergy.com.
About ENGIE North America Inc.
ENGIE North America manages a range of energy businesses in the United States and Canada, including clean power generation, cogeneration, and energy storage; retail energy sales; and comprehensive services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resource use and expense. Nearly 100 percent of the company’s power generation portfolio is low carbon or renewable. Globally, ENGIE is the largest independent power producer and energy efficiency services provider in the world, with operations in 70 countries employing 150,000 people, including 1,000 researchers in 11 R&D centers. For more information, please visit www.engie-na.com, @ENGIENorthAm, and www.engie.com.
About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
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