Xcel Energy has completed building a wind farm in Colorado on the Eastern Plains.

What this means is more than 300,000 people will have access to power that is completely provided by wind.

The Rush Creek Wind Farm has over 300 Vesta wind turbines, and almost 83 miles of transmission lines to bring that power to those who need it in five counties in Southeastern Colorado including Arapahoe, Elbert, Cheyenne, Kit Carson, and Lincoln counties.

It is hoped this will save their customers money, but the added benefit is fewer emissions, as they are hopeful it will reduce the carbon dioxide emissions by nearly one million tons.

Locally, landowners and the counties will reap the benefit of land lease payments and tax savings as well. It is expected that locally they will earn around $180 million.

Having a source of clean, renewable energy is the wave of the future. How long before we have one or more on the Western Slope?

 

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