Leeward successfully completes full-scale repowering of Mendota farm

Through the farm’s construction phase, Leeward managed to generate close to 250 jobs.

North American renewable energy company Leeward Renewable Energy has apparently completed the full-scale repower of the Mendota Hills Wind Farm. If reports are to be believed, the repowering of the farm, situated in Lee County, Illinois, had been completed on March 21, 2019.

As per sources familiar with the matter, Mendota’s full-scale repower was inclusive of installing new foundations and WTGs for efficiency enhancement and for extending the life span of the wind farm, as well as decommissioning the existing wind turbines. A further 63 legacy Gamesa turbines have also reportedly been replaced with 29 of Gamesa‘s SG2.6-126 wind turbines, thereby surging capacity to 76 MW from about 50 MW.

As per a report by Renewable Energy Magazine, Greg Wolf, CEO, Leeward Renewable Energy, has been quoted to say that the Mendota farm had been an ambitious project that is generating myriad benefits and efficiency for the firm’s customers as well as Lee County. The Mendota project is an apt depiction of the innovation that Leeward has been aiming for in the management of its current assets for building and maximizing its portfolio as well as in its development initiatives.

Reliable sources claim that through the farm’s construction phase, Leeward managed to generate close to 250 jobs and will subsequently upsurge its contribution to Lee County via property tax payments.

Siemens Gamesa, apart from having worked alongside Leeward on Mendota’s repowering, also delivers operations and maintenance for the sites. It has been speculated that the Mendota wind farm will now increase its reliability and performance and also reduce operational cost, having been equipped with turbine technology improvements.

For the uninitiated, Leeward achieved the financial close with Citi’s subsidiary – Citi had provided tax-equity financing for the repower project. Authentic sources cite that Leeward has also inked a long-term PPA (power purchase agreement) with Digital Reality that will entail the company to provide around 276,000 MWh of renewable wind power annually.