PRAIRIEWINDS SD1, INC. APPLICATION TO THE SOUTH DAKOTA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION FOR A FACILITY PERMIT PRAIRIEWINDS SD1 WIND ENERGY FACILITY AND ASSOCIATED COLLECTION SUBSTATION AND ELECTRIC INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM DECEMBER 2009 Prepared for: PrairieWinds SD1, Inc. Prepared by: 2026 Samco Road, Ste. 101 Rapid City, South Dakota 57702 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 1 2.0 FACILITY PERMIT APPLICATION ................................................................................... 2 3.0 COMPLETENESS CHECKLIST........................................................................................ 5 4.0 NAMES OF PARTICIPANTS (ARSD 20:10:22:06) ........................................................ 20 5.0 NAME OF OWNER AND MANAGER (ARSD 20:10:22:07) ........................................... 20 6.0 PURPOSE OF, AND DEMAND FOR, THE WIND ENERGY FACILITY AND TRANSMISSION FACILITY (ARSD 20:10:22:08, 20:10:22:10)................................................ 20 6.1 WIND RESOURCE AREAS ........................................................................................ 21 6.2 RENEWABLE POWER DEMAND............................................................................... 22 6.3 TRANSMISSION FACILITY DEMAND........................................................................ 23 7.0 ESTIMATED COST OF THE WIND ENERGY FACILITY AND TRANSMISSION FACILITY (ARSD 20:10:22:09).................................................................................................. 24 8.0 GENERAL SITE AND PROJECT COMPONENT DESCRIPTION (ARSD 20:10:22:11, 33.02, 34 AND 35) ...................................................................................................................... 24 8.1 WIND FARM FACILITY............................................................................................... 25 8.2 TRANSMISSION FACILITY ........................................................................................ 26 8.3 WIND TURBINE GENERATORS................................................................................ 26 8.4 WIND TURBINE TOWERS ......................................................................................... 27 8.5 WIND TURBINE FOUNDATIONS............................................................................... 28 8.6 GENERATOR STEP-UP TRANSFORMERS.............................................................. 28 8.7 ACCESS ROADS........................................................................................................ 28 8.8 O&M FACILITY ........................................................................................................... 29 8.9 METEOROLOGICAL TOWERS AND SODAR UNITS................................................ 29 8.10 TEMPORARY LAYDOWN/STOCKPILE AREAS/BATCHPLANT/CRANE WALKS .... 29 8.11 ELECTRIC COLLECTOR SYSTEM, COLLECTION SUBSTATION, TRANSMISSION LINE, AND INTERCONNECTION FACILITIES (ARSD 20:10:22:34 AND 35) ....................... 30 8.11.1 34.5-kV COLLECTION SYSTEM ........................................................................ 30 8.11.1.1 Underground 34.5-kV Electric System ........................................................ 30 8.11.1.2 Underground Communication System......................................................... 31 8.11.2 230-kV TRANSMISSION LINE............................................................................ 31 8.11.3 COLLECTOR SUBSTATION............................................................................... 32 8.11.4 IMPROVEMENTS TO WESSINGTON SPRINGS SUBSTATION....................... 32 8.12 TRANSMISSION CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY, SITE STABILIZATION, AND MAINTENANCE (ASRD 20:10:22:34)..................................................................................... 33 8.12.1 Site Clearing....................................................................................................... 33 8.12.2 Equipment Delivery and Transportation ............................................................. 33 8.12.3 Excavation, Foundations and Structure Erection ............................................... 33 8.12.4 Conductor Stringing............................................................................................ 34 8.12.5 Access Roads .................................................................................................... 34 8.12.6 Right-of-Way Restoration Procedures................................................................ 34 8.12.7 ROW Maintenance Procedures.......................................................................... 34 9.0 ALTERNATE SITES AND SITING CRITERIA (ARSD 20:10:22:12) .............................. 34 9.1 GENERAL PROJECT LOCATION SELECTION......................................................... 35 9.2 WIND RESOURCE AND LAND AVAILABILITY.......................................................... 35 9.2.1 Wind Resource.................................................................................................... 35 9.2.2 Land Availability .................................................................................................. 36 9.3 TRANSMISSION......................................................................................................... 36 9.4 SITE CONFIGURATION ALTERNATIVES ................................................................. 37 9.5 EMINENT DOMAIN..................................................................................................... 37 10.0 ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION (ARSD 20:10:22:13) ............................................. 37 11.0 EFFECT ON PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT (ARSD 20:10:22:14).................................... 38 11.1 EXISTING PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................... 38 11.1.1 GEOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 38 11.1.1.1 Regional Landforms/Surficial Geology ........................................................ 38 11.1.1.2 Bedrock Geology ......................................................................................... 39 11.1.1.3 Economic Deposits...................................................................................... 40 11.1.2 SOIL TYPE.......................................................................................................... 40 11.1.3 SEISMIC RISKS.................................................................................................. 42 11.2 FACILITY IMPACTS.................................................................................................... 42 11.2.1 POTENTIAL FOR IMPACTS TO GEOLOGIC AND SOIL RESOURCES ........... 42 11.2.1.1 Inaccessibility of Sand and Aggregate Resources ...................................... 42 11.2.1.2 Loss of Soil Resources................................................................................ 42 11.2.1.3 Erosion, Slope Stability and Sedimentation................................................. 43 11.2.2 GEOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS ON DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION....................................................................................................................... 44 12.0 EFFECT ON HYDROLOGY (ARSD 20:10:22:14, 20:10:22:15)..................................... 44 12.1 EXISTING HYDROLOGY............................................................................................ 44 12.1.1 HYDROGEOLOGY ............................................................................................. 44 12.1.2 SURFACE WATER RESOURCES...................................................................... 45 12.1.2.1 The Crow Sub-basin.................................................................................... 45 12.1.2.2 The Lower James Sub-basin....................................................................... 45 12.1.2.3 The Fort Randall Reservoir Sub-basin ........................................................ 46 12.1.3 FLOODPLAINS ................................................................................................... 46 12.1.4 NPS NATIONWIDE RIVERS INVENTORY......................................................... 46 12.1.5 IMPAIRED WATERS........................................................................................... 47 12.2 FACILITY IMPACTS.................................................................................................... 47 12.2.1 EFFECT ON CURRENT OR PLANNED WATER USE....................................... 47 12.2.2 POTENTIAL FOR SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER IMPACTS ...................... 48 12.2.2.1 Groundwater Dewatering............................................................................. 48 12.2.2.2 Deterioration of Water Quality ..................................................................... 49 12.2.2.3 Impacts to Drainage Patterns ...................................................................... 49 12.2.2.4 Impacts to Flood Storage Areas .................................................................. 50 12.2.2.5 Increased Runoff ......................................................................................... 50 13.0 EFFECT ON TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS (ARSD 20:10:22:16)............................... 51 13.1 EXISTING TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM .................................................................. 51 13.1.1 VEGETATION ..................................................................................................... 51 13.1.1.1 Cropland .....................................................................................................