Xcel intends to develop 11 new wind farms in seven states, which are expected to add around 3,380MW of new wind to its system.
The company said that the proposed a combination of owned wind farms and power purchase agreements under multi-state investment to increase its wind capacity in the country.
It is planning to develop projects that can generate 1,230MW of wind power in Texas and New Mexico. These projects are expected to save around $2.8bn for the customers in the region over a 30-year period.
The firm recently announced a wind power expansion in the Upper Midwest region, including plans to develop seven new wind farms in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa.
The expansion is expected to add 1,550MW of new wind energy to its Upper Midwest system. It is expected to save around $4bn for the customers in the region.
In Colorado, the firm plans to start construction on the Rush Creek wind farm project in this spring. It is anticipated to save around $1.1bn for Colorado customers over the life of the project.
According to the firm, all projects are in different stages of regulatory approval, including 522MW Sagamore wind project, 478MW Hale wind project and 230MW Bonita project in the Southwest region.
The projects in the Upper Midwest include 200MW Freeborn wind project, 150MW Foxtail wind project, 200MW Blazing Star 1 project, 200MW Blazing Star 2 project and others.
Xcel Energy president and CEO Ben Fowke said: “We’re investing big in wind because of the tremendous economic value it brings to our customers. With wind energy at historic low prices, we can secure savings that will benefit customers now and for decades to come.”
