Enel, through its US renewable energy company Enel Green Power North America, has started construction of the 236.5 MW White Cloud wind project in Nodaway County, Missouri. Once operational, the project will supply power to Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc., a power utility based in Springfield, Missouri.

White Cloud is Enel Green Power’s second project in Missouri. Commercial operation of the project is anticipated to begin in 2020, and it will be able to generate 950 GWh annually once fully operational. Over the life of the project, White Cloud is expected to create over $43 million in property tax revenue and over $56 million in lease payments for local landowners.Currently, the company operates the 300 MW Rock Creek wind farm in Atchison County, which entered commercial operation in 2017.

“We are pleased to continue bringing clean energy and new economic development to Missouri,” said Georg Becker-Birck, senior project manager for White Cloud. “The construction of White Cloud means economic growth for northwest Missouri and a diversified energy supply for citizens and businesses across the state.”

Enel Green Power will initiate activities that mitigate environmental impact during construction and identify opportunities which create long-term value for the community and the project. The company is committed to respecting the host communities and contributing towards their social and economic progress, through a continuous focus on stakeholder and community engagement across the full value chain. In Missouri, these initiatives have included renovating the former ShopKo building in downtown Tarkio for use as an operations center for both White Cloud and Rock Creek, providing funds to stabilize wetland habitats at the Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge and joining other community partners to help re-establish Tarkio College.

White Cloud is owned by Enel Green Power’s subsidiary White Cloud Wind Project, LLC and was developed by Tradewind Energy (“Tradewind”). It is the first Tradewind development asset to begin construction since EGPNA acquired the Lenexa, Kansas-based developer earlier this year. Tradewind has been Enel Green Power’s strategic development partner since 2006, supporting the company’s growth in the US wind market. Over the course of this partnership, Enel Green Power successfully built and began operations of around 3.9 GW of capacity developed by Tradewind.

Enel Green Power North America, part of the Renewable Energies division of the Enel Group, is a leading owner and operator of renewable energy plants in North America with projects operating and under development in 24 US states and two Canadian provinces. Enel Green Power operates around 100 plants with a managed capacity exceeding 5 GW powered by renewable hydropower, wind, geothermal and solar energy.