Minonk is one of six wind farms that Navitas has proposed or has under development in Illinois, home state of President Barack Obama. They range in size from 80 megawatts (MW) to 158MW.

Plans presently call for 100 turbines in a 12,000-acre area that would generate 200MW of power, enough electricity for 60,000 homes, according to Navitas, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Public hearings on Navitas’ application are scheduled on 24-25 June in Woodford County, where 75% of the turbines would be located. The remainder are to be sited in adjoining Livingston county.

Navitas expects construction of the wind farm to begin in summer 2010, with commercial operation towards the end of 2011.

Gamesa ranked fifth in 2008 US turbine installations with 616MW, trailing GE Energy, Vestas, Siemens and Suzlon.