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Construction begins on 63MW wind farm in Vermont

Energy utility Green Mountain Power (GMP) has begun construction of its Kingdom Community Wind (KCW) project, a 63 MW renewable wind energy project in Lowell, Vermont.

The 21 turbine wind project will provide power for more than 24,000 homes with the lowest-cost new renewable energy available to GMP customers and the members of the Vermont Electric Coop (VEC), the company said.

Construction will consist of two affiliated projects. The first being the construction of the turbines, which will be complete and running by the end of 2012.

The second includes upgrades to VEC’s transmission system between Lowell and Jay. VEC sought the upgrades as part of its long term capital plan, but through a partnership with GMP is now able to move more quickly on a more robust upgrade, while limiting the costs to its members.

“We are extremely excited to start construction on this important local, renewable energy project,” said Mary Powell, President and CEO of Green Mountain Power. “In addition to producing clean and reliable power for our customers and VEC members, Kingdom Community Wind is the most affordable new renewable energy available.”

Green Mountain said Kingdom Community Wind was the most significant renewable generation development in Vermont and it will provide a boost to the local and Vermont economy.

The project has already employed Vermonters and Vermont firms in the pre-construction phase of the project.

More than 90 different Vermont firms and vendors have participated in the project to date, with more than $4 million already invested in those companies.

In the coming weeks, contractors, including Vermont-based contractors like J.A. McDonald of Lyndon Center and Bates & Murray of Barre, will be adding additional local employees to their existing Vermont employee base to work on Kingdom Community Wind.

Local

“This is a local energy project built by Vermonters, for Vermonters,” said Powell.

“Through tax payments to the town of Lowell, the state education fund, the Good Neighbor Fund for surrounding towns and the economic activity created by the project’s construction, as well as competitively priced energy for many years to come, this project is a true win-win for all involved. We are grateful for the support we have received from the community.”

In July, VEC members voted to support the transmission system upgrades, with nearly 80 percent in favor.

The Kingdom Community Wind project has also been supported at the ballot box by Lowell voters during a 2010 Town Meeting Day ballot when three in four Lowell voters approved of the wind project.

Kingdom Community Wind received a certificate of public good (CPG) from the Vermont Public Service Board in late May. GMP has now met all the pre-construction conditions in the CPG and received all of the permits required to begin construction, including permits related to protecting water quality that were issued late August.

“Our 40 year old transmission system between Lowell and Jay needed to be upgraded to ensure safety and reliability,” said David Hallquist, CEO of the Vermont Electric Coop. “Our members have also told us that they want clean, local and affordable electricity. Our partnership with GMP on this renewable wind project will help us meet those requests in a way that keeps rates as low as possible.”

Green Mountain Power’s environmental efforts are among the most extensive for such a project in Vermont.

For example, for the first time for either wind or ski areas, there will be biological monitoring of streams during and following construction. GMP has also voluntarily collected data about the water chemistry of all the streams around the project to understand and protect future water quality.

According to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR), “The monitoring program imposed on GMP to protect high quality waters is more restrictive than any program required of any Vermont ski area to date.” In addition, GMP made an extraordinary effort in the design to avoid stream and wetland impacts.

Green Mountain Power has been working toward the development of KCW for more than three years. All aspects of the project, from environmental to economic impacts, have been studied extensively and were subject to regulatory and public oversight. As construction on KCW moves ahead, GMP remains committed to being fully open and transparent about the project and its progress.