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Fuelled by increasing demand in the North American market, NEG Micon USA Inc, a subsidiary of Danish wind turbine manufacturer NEG Micon A/S, is opening two new manufacturing plants, one in Champaign, Illinois, and the other at Boucherville in Quebec, Canada. NEG Micon's backlog in North America consists of 280 wind turbine generators that will produce more than 200 MW, says the company. The turbines, valued at about $175 million, will generate power in plants in California, Iowa and on the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec. "It's another sign of the resurgence of the US market after a long period of very low demand and serves as an indication that significant amounts of new wind capacity will soon be installed," says Tom Gray of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). Both the Quebec and Illinois plants will be up and running before winter, says NEG Micon. Andris Cukurs has been selected as president of the company's North American operations and will be based in Chicago. The executive vice president and chief operating officer is Leif G Johansen, who has 15 years' experience in the wind industry, most recently as president of Cannon Energy Corp in California. NEG Micon already has sales and service offices in California, Quebec and Virginia. The company has also begun delivering turbines for a 42 MW wind farm in Clear Lake, Iowa. Partners in the project include NEG Micon; ESI Energy Inc, a subsidiary of Florida Power & Light; Interstate Power, a utility in Dubuque, Iowa; and Foras of Palm Springs, California, which provides wind turbine maintenance. A $31.5 million contract for supply of 56, 750 kW turbines for the project was announced by NEG Micon on July 6. Delivery is scheduled to start in early November and continue through April 1999.