“The AW-3000 turbines at Pioneer Grove will produce more power, more efficiently than anything we‘ve installed before.” Joe Baker, ACCIONA’s CEO stated in a press release. “With technology like the AW-3000, we can drive down energy costs and begin to take full advantage of our clean energy resources.”

The Pioneer Grove Wind Farm is located nearest to the town of Mechanicsville, Iowa, 26 miles east of Cedar Rapids. Construction is expected to be complete in the second half of 2012. The renewable energy power plant has a long-term power purchase agreement with Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO).

ACCIONA introduced the AW-3000 last year. The $20 million project cost will be offset by a $3 million Iowa Power Fund Board grant awarded last year.

The Pioneer Grove Wind Farm will utilize two different tower technologies, which are both suitable for the AW-3000. One tower will be constructed to a height of 92 meters, using steel, while the other tower uses an innovative concrete solution and will reach a height of 100 meters.

The Pioneer Grove Wind Farm is less than 20 miles from ACCIONA’s wind turbine assembly plant in West Branch, Iowa. The facility employs more than 100 workers to assemble ACCIONA wind turbines.
 

The day began with an informative update on the electric utility industry. David Tudor, President and CEO of ACES Power Marketing, shared his insights of the energy markets along with his forecast for future power supply. CIPCO was a customer of ACES for several years before becoming a full member in 2008 and continues to rely on ACES for a number of functions; not the least of which is keeping CIPCO competitive in an environment of ever-changing regulatory and market forces. The morning session concluded with an update from Rand Fisher, President of the Iowa Area Development Group, on partnership performance and financing system growth. Fisher reinforced the need for reliable, affordable power in the state and its direct correlation to continued economic growth.

CIPCO Board President Allan Duffe called the official Business Meeting to order after lunch and presided over the afternoon session. He provided a recap of CIPCO’s successes in 2011 and discussed the value of CIPCO’s balanced and diverse energy portfolio. During the annual election of directors, four individuals were nominated by their local cooperative to serve a three-year term on the CIPCO board: Allan Duffe (Eastern Iowa Light & Power); Paul Heineman (Midland Power Cooperative); Pat Von Ahnen (Consumers Energy); and Dale Walkup (Southwest Iowa REC).

Dennis Murdock, Executive Vice President and CEO, then used his remarks to reflect on how change has been constant throughout CIPCO’s history. His historical perspective of the organization took the audience back 65 years to the beginning. According to Murdock, CIPCO was formed and built its first power plant in response to change. “Change has been and always will be a way of life at CIPCO. It drives our daily agenda and is a necessity for our success,” remarked Murdock. “Today, change is the only constant known. It impacts relationships and occurs whether a company is engaged or not.”

The afternoon session wrapped up with presentations designed to inform the membership of two timely and connected issues: economic development and baseload energy. Dustin Thomas, Vice President of Capital Management Associates (CMA), gave an update on CIPCO subsidiary CMA Ventures and encouraged member cooperatives to think of CMA as a partner in economic development activities and as a resource to access capital. The membership also heard from Rich Singer, Vice President of Fuel, Emissions and Transportation for MidAmerican Energy. His presentation provided an in-depth look into the events that led up to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant explosion and an analysis of the response in the days that followed. He also outlined why that event could not happen in the U.S. and should not impact the decision to build a new baseload nuclear plant in Iowa. Click here to view a short video from the CIPCO Annual Meeting.

CIPCO’s priority has long been to provide reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible electricity. This year’s Annual Meeting served as a reminder of how much has changed since CIPCO first formed 65 years ago but how its mission has always remained the same.
 

CIPCO began its assessment in late 2010 and completed it in 2011. The assessment determined a series of power line adjustments were needed. CIPCO employed new techniques to complete the alterations.

Phase one of the project involved using the PhaseRaiser system produced by Laminated Wood Systems. In this process, existing poles are cut and raised using specially engineered hydraulic jacks, metal rods and steel enforcements. During this process the power line remains energized contributing to the reliability of the BES. Crews can safely install PhaseRaisers in winds of up to 25 miles per hour. Seventy structures were raised using this method.

Phase two of the project involved the use of a helicopter to transport line crew and equipment to and from transmission towers while replacing 4.2 miles of conductor and insulators, originally installed in 1973. Using a helicopter made the work more efficient; especially in consideration of the rough terrain. A new carbon fiber core conductor was installed. The carbon core conductor does not stretch, lasts longer and has more capacity. Use of the specialty conductor allowed the capacity of the line to be increased without replacing transmission structures.
 

The two-day conference focused on energy-efficient building practices by nationally known speakers, displays of the latest building products and techniques, and networking among the building professionals and electric cooperative staff. Momentum Is Building is partially funded by a grant from the Iowa Energy Center.

Topics addressed at the conference included:
* Energy efficiency trends for building and remodeling
* Electric, Mechanical and Plumbing Code updates
* Ventilation systems
* Energy-efficient water heaters
* Q&A problem-solving discussion for contractors

Several of the sessions provided continuing education credits for the attending professionals. These sessions are always in demand and well attended.

November 17, 2011

Contact: Dusky Terry, (515) 362-7682; or cell: (515) 423-9582

Construction Begins on Two Wind Farms

DES MOINES – Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) announced today the signing of a long-term power purchase agreement that commits the state’s largest cooperative energy provider to buy the entire output from two new wind farms being constructed near the towns of Hawkeye and Grand Junction. The projects will produce a combined 86 megawatts of electricity, which will double the amount of wind energy in CIPCO’s generation portfolio when the two wind farms become operational in the fall of 2012.

“Over 95 percent of CIPCO’s electricity is generated in Iowa and with the commitments of the Rippey and Hawkeye facilities, CIPCO’s carbon-free and emissions-free resources will be over 50 percent by 4th quarter 2012,” stated Dennis Murdock, CEO and Executive Vice President of CIPCO. “The addition of these two wind farms further enhances our commitment to local energy production and environmental stewardship.”

The 36-megawatt Hawkeye Wind Farm and 50-megawatt Rippey Wind Farm are being developed by RPM Access LLC (RPMA), an independent wind developer in Iowa. RPMA also developed the Elk Wind Farm in Delaware County, which became operational earlier this year and is supplying power to CIPCO as well. Both new wind projects will use Nordex 2.5-megawatt turbines on 328-foot high towers, the highest wind turbines in Iowa. Onsite road and substation construction activities at Hawkeye and Rippey have already begun.

“We are very pleased to further contribute towards new economic development that provides job opportunities to rural communities in Iowa,” added Murdock. “And, we are proud to partner with a local developer like RPM Access on another project that is good for rural Iowa and good for our members.”

About Central Iowa Power Cooperative
Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative that generates and transmits power to our member owners—13 member-owned electric cooperatives and associations—all located within the state of Iowa. CIPCO’s members collectively serve a population of more than 320,000 rural and urban Iowans located in 58 of Iowa’s 99 counties. This service territory stretches 300 miles diagonally across Iowa and includes or adjoins 12 of Iowa’s 17 cities with populations greater than 25,000. CIPCO is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with locations in Wilton, Montpelier, Creston and Des Moines. For additional information, visit our Web site at www.cipco.net.

About RPM Access LLC
RPM Access, headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, is an independent developer, owner and operator of wind projects with its main focus on the development of high quality wind farms in the Midwest. Over the last ten years, RPM Access developed and built 530 megawatts of operating wind farms located in Iowa. For more information: www.rpmaccess.com.
 

30 Years
Joe Feld, Cedar Rapids; Fred Dietz, Barry Garvin and William Web, Fair Station

25 Years
Pam Carson and Dale Ver Helst, Creston

20 Years
Greg Gerdes, Cedar Rapids; Dan Van Acker, Fair Station

15 Years
Michelle Dirks, Cedar Rapids

10 Years
Rex Butler and Terry Sullivan, Cedar Rapids; Perry Strauss, Creston

5 Years
Chad Herrick, Sam Stineman and Michael Wiese, Cedar Rapids; Jason Wilkey, Creston

(For pictures of the event follow this link.)

This blood drive resulted in 39 total whole blood units being collected, impacting 117 lives. The Red Cross is grateful to the donors who answered the call and for helping support their needs. These efforts will go a long way toward replenishing blood supplies in our area and ultimately saving lives.