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National Grid Renewables Pledges to Donate $720,000 to Illinois School District

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Charitable Education Fund part of National Grid Renewables’ 200 MW Prairie Wolf Solar Project

Minneapolis, MN (September 15, 2021) – Today, National Grid Renewables announced its pledge to donate an estimated $720,000 to the Kansas, Illinois School District through its 200 megawatt (MW) Prairie Wolf Solar Project (Prairie Wolf or the project) located in Coles County, Illinois. Prairie Wolf will support The Prairie Wolf Education Fund via annual donations of approximately $36,000 over a twenty-year period.

“This donation allows Kansas Schools the opportunity to add materials and supplies to our curriculum that would otherwise be impossible,” commented Cindy Spencer, Superintendent for Kansas School District. “We are very grateful to National Grid Renewables for their generous gift to our district.”

As part of its community-focused and farmer-friendly foundation, National Grid Renewables initiates charitable funds for each of its owned and operational large scale renewable energy projects. The purpose of these charitable funds is to engage in, assist, and contribute money to charitable and/or community activities and opportunities within the project communities. The gifts donated by the charitable funds are above and beyond any tax revenue delivered by National Grid Renewables’ projects.

The Prairie Wolf Education Fund will receive its first donation from Prairie Wolf approximately one year after the project reaches commercial operation. Prairie Wolf, which is currently under construction, is anticipated to begin operation by the end of 2021, informing an estimated first annual donation in 2022.

“We are committed to acting as good stewards to the communities we serve – and through our projects that are currently under construction or in operation, National Grid Renewables has pledged over $3.7 million in charitable giving over the next twenty years,” stated David Reamer, Head of Development, US Onshore Renewables for National Grid Renewables. “As a dedicated member of our projects’ host communities, we are proud to support our nationwide neighbors through these charitable funds.”

Using the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator, Prairie Wolf is estimated to offset carbon dioxide emissions by 285,000 metric tons annually during operation. Prairie Wolf will also benefit local and statewide economies through the production of new tax revenue, the creation of jobs, and increased local spending.

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About National Grid Renewables

National Grid Renewables, part of the competitive, unregulated National Grid Ventures division of National Grid (NYSE: NGG), develops, owns and operates large-scale renewable energy assets across the United States, including solar, wind and battery storage. As a farmer-friendly and community-focused business, National Grid Renewables develops projects for corporations and utilities that seek to repower America’s electricity grid by reigniting local economies and reinvesting in a sustainable, clean energy future.

National Grid Renewables has a robust development pipeline of wind, solar and battery storage projects in various stages of development throughout the United States, as well as geographically diverse operational assets across the country. It supports National Grid’s vision of being at the heart of a clean, fair, and affordable energy future for all. To learn more about National Grid Renewables, visit www.geronimopower.com or follow the company on Twitter or LinkedIn.

 
 

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Geronimo Power was formerly known as National Grid Renewables

Nobles County

Geronimo Power Brings Community Focused Approach to Data Center Development in Minnesota

As data center development accelerates across Minnesota and the country, energy and infrastructure developers are increasingly aligned around a shared understanding: large digital infrastructure must be built transparently, responsibly, and with clear community benefit. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience developing largescale clean energy infrastructure, Geronimo Power is helping lead that movement in Minnesota.

Sidney Nuese Full Res

Sidney Nuese

Senior Project Developer
Geronimo Power

Sidney Nuese is a Senior Project Developer supporting the Nobles County Data Center through the development of its associated wind projects—Plum Creek 1, Plum Creek 2, and Lime Creek. A lifelong resident of southwestern Minnesota, Sidney brings deep local knowledge and nearly a decade of wind development experience. Since joining Geronimo Power in 2016, she has advanced multiple utility-scale wind projects across the region, building strong relationships with landowners and guiding projects from early siting through key development milestones.
 
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Southwest Minnesota State University. Sidney lives near Hendricks, Minnesota with her husband, Jason, and their four children. Outside of work, she enjoys golfing and spending time on the lake.
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Marta Lasch

Permitting Lead
Geronimo Power

Marta Lasch is the Permitting Lead for the Nobles County Data Center, where she oversees environmental due diligence and land use permitting across local, state, and federal agencies. With nearly a decade of expertise working at the company, she has advanced over 1,600 MW of utility-scale wind, solar, and storage projects throughout the Midwest and Texas—550 MW of which are in Minnesota. Her work focuses on regulatory compliance, environmental risk mitigation, and coordinating with multiple agencies to advance major infrastructure projects.

Marta holds a B.S. in Geology from Iowa State University. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and dancing with her husband, exploring state parks, gardening, and cheering on the Frost.

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