DTE Energy announces next wind park in Huron County

DETROIT, April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DTE Energy announced today that it plans to build its next wind park in Huron County, which will add another 110 megawatts (MW) to the company's renewable energy portfolio.

The wind park in Oliver and Chandler townships is part of DTE Energy's efforts to expand the company's renewable energy resources. The wind park will add to the more than 500 MW of DTE Energy's renewable energy projects already producing, or in the planning or construction stages.

The wind park will be sited on nearly 16,000 acres and host up to 70 wind turbines. DTE Energy will file for approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission this summer. If approved, construction would begin next year.

"This wind park is another example of how DTE Energy is leading the way to clean, sustainable energy, creating jobs and supporting the communities we serve," said Trevor Lauer, DTE Energy vice president, Marketing & Renewables. "These wind parks will add to the employment base, the tax base and provide many other economic development opportunities."

The wind park will be on some of the 80,000 acres in Huron County where DTE Energy has acquired easements. The company has started construction this year on three previously announced wind parks, totaling another 110 MW, on 15,000 acres in Huron and Sanilac counties.

Total investment for all four farms will be about $500 million.

The company has completed wind and wildlife studies at the wind park site. DTE Energy will begin the design and permitting processes that will lead to construction.

Lauer noted that it was the comprehensive energy legislation passed in 2008 that made all of the wind parks and other renewable energy projects possible.

"We're helping to create a new industry in Michigan," Lauer said. "Over the next several years many more wind turbines and solar installations will be built. These projects will create construction jobs, as well as jobs to operate and maintain the facilities."

The wind park development is part of DTE Energy's plan to meet Michigan's renewable energy goals. DTE Energy expects to add about 1,000 MW of renewable power, or about 10 percent of its power, by 2015. The company plans to own facilities to supply up to half of that power and contract with third-party producers for the remainder.

The majority of the company's renewable energy will come from wind resources, but it also has a solar energy pilot program that could produce approximately 20 MW. The utility's renewable energy capacity under contract is about 7 percent of total generation.

DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include Detroit Edison, an electric utility serving 2.1 million customers in Southeastern Michigan, MichCon, a natural gas utility serving 1.2 million customers in Michigan and other non-utility, energy businesses focused on gas storage and pipelines, unconventional gas production, power and industrial projects, and energy trading. Information about DTE Energy is available at dteenergy.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com/dteenergy.

SOURCE DTE Energy