Black Hills’ $100M Wind Farm In S Colorado Starts Operating

A massive wind farm in southern Colorado began operations on Monday.

The addition will help Colorado’s second-largest utility, Black Hills Energy, satisfy statewide renewable energy standards.

Black Hills Energy spent more than $100 million to acquire the Peak View Wind Project south of Pueblo. The company says it’s a cost effective way to fulfill Colorado’s requirement for investor-owned utilities.

The goal is to produce 30 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2020. Across the state, wind energy has grown significantly. Federal data from last year show that 14 percent of Colorado’s electricity came from wind.

That momentum continues with Xcel Energy getting the green light this fall to build Rush Creek, expected to be one of the state’s largest wind farms. Construction is slated for 2017.