Xcel Energy: 69 Turbines Set Up For Texas Panhandle Wind Farm

PLAINVIEW, Texas (AP) -- Utility officials say a wind farm meant to generate electricity for Texas and New Mexico is taking shape with more than one-fourth of the 239 turbines set up.

Xcel Energy on Wednesday said crews working on the Hale Wind Project in the Texas Panhandle have erected 69 turbines. The final height will be nearly 500 feet (152.4 meters) at the tip of the blade.

About 400 workers are building the wind farm southeast of Plainview, in Hale County. Xcel officials say about 20 full-time jobs will be created when the wind farm is completed in June.

An estimated 190 miles (305.76 kilometers) of underground cable will be used to collect the 478-megawatts of electricity generated by the turbines.

Xcel is based in Minneapolis.

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