Thanks to the recent installation of a radar-activated aircraft detection lighting system at Otter Tail Power Company’s newly operational 150MW Merricourt Wind Energy Center, North Dakota skies are a little darker.To meet residents’ desire for darker skies, and stay consistent with Federal Aviation Administration safety requirements, Otter Tail Power installed DeTect’s Harrier ADLS solution at its Merricourt Wind Energy Center located in southeast North Dakota. This technology provides continuous 360-degree radar surveillance of the airspace across the 14,000-acre site. This radar surveillance system automatically activates obstruction lights to alert pilots only when aircraft is detected within three and a half nautical miles of the facility. The North Dakota Public Service Commission stipulated installation of this technology no later than December 31, 2021.
