Cape Girardeau considering 1,400 acre wind farm worth $200M

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — A new, 1,400 acre solar farm proposed for southern Cape Girardeau County would generate electricity while also serving as a $200 million investment into the county, according to representatives of a Florida-based company proposing the project.

Representatives of NextEra Energy Resources were in Jackson to meet with the county's commissioners Thursday, the Southeast Missourian reported . The meeting was to establish the framework for a solar farm they said would produce up to 200 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power 50,000 homes.

The project could be finished and fully operating within the next two to four years, according to company representatives.

Danell Herzig, project director at NewEra Energy, told the commissioners the project has been in the preparation stage for some time. In recent weeks, company representatives have met with property owners near Delta asking them to think about selling or renting their farmland for the project.

"Our intent is to make sure you are aware of our activities," Herzig told commissioners Charlie Herbst and Paul Koeper.

NextEra Energy Resources, based in Juno Beach, Florida, is the biggest producer of wind, solar and battery storage energy in the world, Herzig said.

"We have 150 operating wind farms and about 50 operating utility-scale solar facilities," she told the commissioners.

The company does not currently own or run any solar farms in Missouri. But it has a wind farm in Northeast Missouri and is thinking about a solar farm project in New Madrid County.

"There are a lot of reasons why the eastern side of this state is attractive for renewable energy development (such as a solar farm)," Herzig said, adding that "there are a lot of announced coal plant closures on this side of the...