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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />II. <br /> <br />THE PROPOSED PROJECT <br /> <br />A. Summary Description <br /> <br />Metro Wind's proposed project will consist of one wind turbine with a nameplate <br />capacity of 660 kW, which could be characterized as a medium-sized turbine. The turbine is a <br />V-47 model manufactured by Vestas, a Danish manufacturer which is a longstanding turbine <br />manufacturer and the largest such manufacturer in the world. The turbine is located on top of a <br />freestanding steel enclosed tubular tower which, in turn, is attached to a concrete foundation <br />buried below grade. A small pad-mounted transformer typically is located adjacent to the <br />turbine foundation pad. An access road for maintenance purposes will be constructed between <br />the turbine and public road. The power generated by the turbine is transmitted from the <br />transformer through underground electric lines to a point of interconnection with lines owned by <br />Elk River Municipal Utilities ("ERMU"). ERMU will then transmit the energy to transmission <br />system facilities owned by Great River Energy and, ultimately, to NSP. Metro Wind has entered <br />into a power purchase agreement with NSP pursuant to which NSP agrees to buy the entire <br />output of the wind turbine. Metro Wind will install the equipment needed to interconnect the <br />turbine with ERMU's system and operate the turbine in a manner which will not adversely affect <br />the operation ofERMU's system or ERMU's customers. <br /> <br />B. The Project Site <br /> <br />Metro Wind selected the Site for development due to the quality of the wind resource at <br />the Site and its location in an area currently occupied by similar industrial and commercial uses. <br />The Site is part of a parcel owned by a trust for the benefit of Ernest and Doris Toth (Toth Trust). <br />Maps depicting the Site and its characteristics are included with this application. The bulk of the <br />Toth property south of the Site has been used for gravel mining and related purposes for many <br />years, and is currently being mined by Bauerly Brothers pursuant to an Agreement for Issuance <br />of Conditional Use Permit dated June 23, 1997. The Site lies immediately north of the gravel <br />mining activities across 225th Street, and is about 2.5 acres in size. ERMU maintains a <br />distribution line south of and adjacent to 225th Street into which the Metro Wind project will <br />connect. <br /> <br />The Site is currently vacant and occupied by brush and wooded area. There are no <br />structures or improvements on the Site. Until recently, the Site was subject to Bauerly Brothers' <br />lease for mining with the landowners and was permitted for that use. There are no wetlands on <br />the Site, or any other protected or endangered species or land use. The Site is zoned A-I, which <br />permits wind generators in areas zoned in this manner. <br /> <br />The construction and operation of the Project will result in limited changes to the Site. <br />The turbine will be located at a point shown in map A-2 at the top of a small knoll. The turbine <br />is set back from the Site boundaries as far as practicable, and the access road will connect with <br />225th Street as shown on map A-3. Lines from the turbine will be buried to the point where they <br />cross 225th Street to intersect with ERMU lines within ERMU's existing easements. See map A- <br />2. Once construction is complete, only about .5 acres will be occupied by turbine and wind <br /> <br />2 <br />