The Federal Economic Development administration has awarded a $1.2-million dollar grant to Mitchell Technical Institute for the purchase of a wind turbine as part of Basin Electric Cooperative’s Crow Lake Wind Project in Aurora, Jerauld and Brule counties…
MTI vice-president Julie Brookbank says the turbine should be up and running in early spring of 2011…
[audio:http://prprt.itmwpb.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/688/2010/10/Brookbank-2.mp3|titles=Brookbank-2]The students will be able to monitor the turbine remotely and receive information on wind speed and how much electricity it’s generating. PrairieWinds, is the Basin subsidiary that will operate the project. It will purchase the electricity generated by the turbine allowing a self-sustaining revenue stream for MTI and the wind technology program. Additional funding for the project was made available through the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, General Electric and through the sale of bonds under the state bonding authority. Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin announced the grant Thursday during a news conference at Brandon. Crow Lake is also the site of seven turbines to be owned by the South Dakota Wind Partners, a group of 600 South Dakota investors who have joined to create a first-of-its-kind ownership model in the South Dakota wind industry.
(courtesy KORN, Mitchell)