Wind Farm in Northwest Missouri Begins Commercial Operation

The Tenaska Clear Creek Energy Center, a 242-MW wind farm in northwest Missouri, achieved commercial operation on May 4.
Located north of Maryville in Nodaway County, Tenaska Clear Creek is comprised of 111 Vestas turbines across approximately 31,000 acres.

Tenaska Clear Creek is the 18th power project that Tenaska has brought online.

The wind farm produces renewable energy under a 25-year power purchase agreement with Associated Electric Cooperative Inc., an electric generation and transmission cooperative based in Springfield, Missouri, that provides wholesale power to six regional cooperatives, including NW Electric Power Cooperative Inc. of Cameron, Missouri, and 51 local cooperative systems in Missouri, southeast Iowa and northeast Oklahoma that serve 910,000 members.

The wind farm is owned by Tenaska Clear Creek Wind, LLC, which is comprised of affiliates of Tenaska and Bright Canyon Energy.
Construction of the wind farm began in spring 2019. Vestas supplied the wind turbines and is providing maintenance services for the project. Mortenson was the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor.

Construction of Tenaska Clear Creek represented an investment of more than $300 million in the regional economy. Through Mortenson, 350 craft workers were hired from the local area and approximately $30 million in contracts were awarded to regional businesses.

During operation, Tenaska Clear Creek is supported by a team of 16 local employees staffed through NAES Corporation and Vestas. Approximately 160 landowners have long-term leases with Tenaska Clear Creek, which is estimated to result in more than $1.2 million in lease payments annually. Tenaska Clear Creek is expected to generate more than $1.2 million in tax revenue annually for local units of government.

Tenaska Clear Creek has established a community fund that will support programs in Nodaway County. The wind farm will contribute $15,000 annually for the next 20 years.

Tenaska is also managing construction of the Nobles 2 Power Partners wind farm in southwest Minnesota. The 250-MW project is anticipated to be online by the end of 2020. Tenaska’s development pipeline includes 7,000 MW of renewables projects.