The wind farm will have an operational life of 30 years. Credti: engel.ac/Shutterstock.

Montana-Dakota Utilities, a subsidiary of MDU Resources, has signed an agreement to acquire 49% ownership in the Badger wind farm located in Logan and McIntosh counties in the US state of North Dakota.

The purchase agreement, which represents a generation capacity of 122.5MW, is subject to approval from the North Dakota Public Service Commission (NDPSC).

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The acquisition aligns with MDU’s 2024 Integrated Resource Plan, which seeks to meet future energy demands through cost-effective solutions.

The 250MW wind farm, developed by Ørsted, is currently under construction near the city of Wishek and will power 110,000 homes annually, contributing to the economic development of the area during its 30-year operational life.

MDU’s investment in the facility is part of its five-year capital expenditure plan, with the estimated cost of the stake at $294m.

The move follows a power purchase agreement (PPA) executed in November 2024 for 150MW of the farm’s output, which included a 49% purchase option.

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The PPA capacity will decrease to 27.5MW upon closure.

The addition of the Badger wind farm will significantly impact MDU’s generation mix by increasing renewables from 29% to 39%. Meanwhile, coal will decrease from 31% to 26%, and gas from 40% to 35%.

MDU has filed an advance determination of prudence with the NDPSC. This request seeks to confirm that the project is a reasonable and prudent choice for providing electric service to the public.

MDU resources president and CEO Nicole Kivisto stated: “This investment enhances our diversified portfolio of assets, allowing MDU to meet customer demand with a mix of generation assets that includes coal as well as wind backed by natural gas peakers to effectively serve our customers’ needs.”