Grand Meadow — United States of America
Wind power plant in Minnesota, United States of America. Approximate location 43.7066, -92.6954.
WindMinnesotaUnited States of America
Grand Meadow is a 100 MW wind power station in Minnesota, United States of America. It is operated by Northern States Power Co - Minnesota. Based on reported annual generation of 265 GWh, it can supply roughly 76k homes. It ranks #2765 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2009, it is around 17 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, wind supplies about 10.3% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0056994.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000907010; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 100 MW, Grand Meadow is well above the median wind plant in United States of America (67.7 MW). Wind turbines convert moving air into electricity; output is variable and site-dependent, and modern turbines deliver some of the lowest-cost new generation on many grids.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 30%, from 265 GWh of reported generation, in line with the 30% median for 1120 wind plants in United States of America
- Generation trend
- 329 GWh in 2013 and 265 GWh in 2019 (−19%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2014: 345 GWh; 2019: 265 GWh
- Share of United States of America wind capacity
- less than 0.1% of 104,873 MW across 1,139 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 346 of 1,139 dated wind plants in United States of America are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Reported generation trend
Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Northern States Power Co - Minnesota. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This wind plant converts the kinetic energy of wind into electricity through turbine rotors. It sits in a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 43.7°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 75% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 88/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), with thermal cycling the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #447 largest wind power plant of 1139 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 1139 wind power plants in this dataset, together about 104,873 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Prairie Star Wind Farm · Wind · 100.7 MW · Minnesota
- Pleasant Valley (MN) · Gas · 469 MW · Minnesota
- Wapsipinicon Wind Project · Wind · 100.5 MW · Minnesota
- Pleasant Valley Wind Farm · Wind · 200 MW · Minnesota
- Mower County Wind Energy Center · Wind · 98.9 MW · Minnesota
- Adams Wind Farm · Wind · 23.3 MW · Minnesota
Location
Coordinates 43.7066, -92.6954 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Grand Meadow?
Grand Meadow is a 100 MW wind power plant in Minnesota, United States of America, commissioned in 2009.
How much electricity does Grand Meadow generate?
Grand Meadow generates about 265 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Grand Meadow?
Grand Meadow is operated by Northern States Power Co - Minnesota.