community wind for Meeker and Kandiyohi counties
From the Litchfield Independent Review View a PDF version of the article August 19th, 2010 By Brent Schacherer, Editor
Harnessing the power of the wind takes time, but the payoff is coming.
Officials from Lake Country Wind Energy, the locally owned company that plans to create a wind farm in Meeker and Kandiyohi counties, told interested residents during a meeting Aug. 16 at the Atwater Community Center that their project remains on track. But it is likely to be at least another year before the first wind turbines begin to churn out electricity for the nation’s power grid.
“It’s good to see the community come out and be excited about it,” said Jeremy Duehr, an environmental scientist at Malcolm Pirnie and a consultant on the project. “It’s good to see that support.”
The board of directors of Lake Country Wind Energy scheduled the meeting to update investors and area landowners, as well as other interested citizens, on the project.
According to Chuck Burdick, a senior wind farm developer with Twin Cities-based National Wind, the project has seen tremendous support locally, including more than $1.5 million in funding from 108 investors, 126 landowners who have signed leases, and 26,500 acres leased.
“Without your help, we wouldn’t have a project,” Burdick told the group. “We partner on all of our projects with the community that is hosting the project. We feel that relationship works best for all of us.”
The Lake Country Wind Energy “wind farm” is expected to involve more than 200 turbines in Meeker and Kandiyohi counties and create 340 megawatts of electrical generation.
The project began in May 2008 with formation of the board of directors. Since then, the board has worked with National Wind, the developer and project manager, to move the project forward.
Lake Country Wind submitted its required permit application for the first phase of the wind farm to the state Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 4. Phase 1 is planned to generate 41 megawatts of electricity via 20 2.05 megawatt turbines, which will be centered around Atwater.
The permitting process, which involves an analysis of environmental impacts as well as a review of power grid access and need, could last up to six months.
In the meantime, Lake Country Wind Energy continues to pursue a power purchase agreement, a process that’s proved challenging so far.
“It’s a slow economy, so it’s slow for selling power, as well,” Burdick said. It’s likely, however, that as the cost for other energy sources fluctuates or the economy improves, power purchase negotiations will heat up, he said.
Burdick was asked what kind of economic impact the wind farm might have and what effect it might have on the cost of electrical power in the area. The economic impact, he said, would be felt in lease payments made to landowners who have a turbine sited on their farms, construction activity, return on investments and two permanent jobs charged with operating and maintaining the plant. As many as 100 construction jobs lasting three to six months are likely to be created.
“I think it represents a significant economic impact for the area,” Burdick said.
As for power cost, Burdick said, the first, 40 megawatt phase of the project is unlikely to have much effect.
“It depends on who we sell to and what else is going on in the market,” he said. “But 40 megawatts is not likely to have much effect. For any utility, they have a variety (of generation sources). Wind is more expensive than natural gas or other sources right now.”
Burdick explained, that one of the 2.05 megawatt turbines, when operating at peak performance, will generate enough electricity for 600 homes.
Once online, the first phase is expected to generate about $200,000 per year for 20 years, or about $5 million to $10 million over the life of the project.