Dive Summary:

• We Energies will purchase an Iowa County, Wisc., wind farm for $27 million via its NextEra Energy Resources Inc. of Florida subsidiary.
• Regulators approved the sale by a vote of 2-1, with one of the major factors being that We Energies agreed to develop a new wind farm on the site in the future with turbines that could generate more power; currently the farm generates enough power to supply 9,000 homes with energy.
• When it was opened in 2001, the Montfort project was the largest wind farm in the state, but it has since been overtaken much larger projects in nearby counties.

From the article:

Wind farm development has been dogged by opposition and siting challenges in various parts of the state, the commissioners noted.

"Obtaining a site where turbines already exist does have significant value," said Nowak. "Turbine siting is a contentious and difficult process." We Energies buys 25.5 of the 30 megawatts of electricity generated by the wind farm, while Wisconsin Power & Light Co. of Madison buys the rest. The 20-turbine wind farm began operating in 2001. ...