A Chicago based wind developer says they have now contracted for 110,000 acres of Banner County land as the site for a planned wind energy project. Midwest Wind Energy Executive Vice President Mike Donahue told participants at a wind energy forum at WNCC the company is also working hard to make sure the project is included in any future plans for a transmission grid to export wind power from the region.

Donahue says Midwest Wind Energy is considering investing in 100 to 150 miles of transmission line to access a transmission grid that could have the capacity to export wind energy to populated areas in the region. Donahue says the project would be built in phases, but when fully constructed would involve 900 to 1,000 turbines generating 200,000 megawatts of electricity.

Donahue said there would be several hundred construction jobs over several years, with the anticipated need for fifty to eighty permanent employees to maintain the turbines. Donahue says Midwest Wind Energy has made preliminary contacts with possible wind energy buyers, while also emphasizing to them the project is five to seven years down the road.

Donhaue says the company also installed three meteorological towers to gather wind data on the site, noting the company is working hard during the down period in the economy to develop projects so "when credits frees up and construction resumes, they are well positioned to get those projects under construction".