TUNICA, Miss. -- Mississippi has approved its first wind-turbine facility to generate electricity in the Mississippi Delta, the Mississippi Public Service Commission announced Wednesday.
The electricity generation facility will be built on 13,000 acres in Tunica County and will consist of up to 100 turbines, according to a news release. The facility will generate enough power to provide energy to some 70,000 homes. Construction is expected to begin this summer.
Brandon Presley of the Northern District Public Service Commission, said the project will send a signal to investors that Mississippi is open for renewable-energy projects.
"Research continues to show great potential in the Mississippi Delta for wind and solar power generation," he said.
Central District Commissioner Brent Bailey said Tunica Windpower LLC requires a minimal footprint for installation and will utilize farm roads, "allowing land managers to continue to provide food, feed and fiber -- and now energy -- from the Mississippi Delta."