Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL) and enXco are to move forward with building of the 102-megawatt IPL Hoosier Wind Park near Fowler, Ind., in Benton County, approximately 90 miles northwest of Indianapolis.

The project includes 21 (2-megawatt) wind turbines, each using less than a ¼-acre of land. Power can be regulated via adjustable blades and electronic generator torque controls.

The energy from the turbines will be purchased by IPL from enXco under a 20-year power purchase agreement approved October 1 by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

The Hoosier Wind Park will be able to provide enough energy to power 24,000 homes and reduce CO2 emissions by 230,000 tons per year.

The IPL Hoosier Wind Park will provide carbon-free electricity to the approximately 470,000 IPL residential and business customers in central Indiana.

Approval of IPL's power purchase arrangement has been granted by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. In addition, the recent extension of the Federal Renewable Tax Credit by Congress was required for the advancement of the project.

A groundbreaking is planned for December with the project expected to be in operation in 2009.