The completion date for Iberdrola Renewable’s Rugby Wind Farm isn’t far off, and soon the 149.1 megawatt farm will be sending electricity to South Dakota-based Missouri River Energy Services.

“Right now we are testing the turbines in various wind conditions…completing other reliability testing and reclamation work mostly around roads,’ said Jan Johnson, communications spokesperson for Iberdrola.

The 71 2.1 megawatt towers erected this past summer are generating electricity, Johnson said, but the project is not yet ready to go on line. Final testing could be wrapped up in December.

At one point over 300 workers were involved in the construction of the project, but since September, the number of workers has steadily declined as construction ended. Johnson said the nice fall conditions has enabled the project remain on schedule.

Johnson said Iberdrola appreciates the support and hospitality of the Rugby community during the construction phase, adding the residents also showed patience in putting up with the additional truck traffic moving through the community en route to the wind farm north of town. Most of the turbines are built around N.D. Highway 17.

In addition to the erected turbines a nine mile 230-kv transmission line and substation was built near the towers which ties the tower-generated electricity into Otter Tail Power Company’s substation just east of Rugby. From there, the electricity will be sent on to Iberdrola’s customers.

Missouri River Energy Services has agreed to purchase 40 of the 149.1 MW capacity in this wind farm. Johnson said that 40 MW can provide electricity to up to 11,000 homes. Iberdrola is continuing to