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Wind Farm Developers Make Presentation to Area Land Owners

Wednesday, November 21, 2018 - Posted 10:10:12 AM

Land owners from Clayton, Green, Panola and Minonk townships listened to a presentation on a proposed wind farm in this area at a meeting Tuesday night at Crank's Bar and Grill. Representatives from NorthRenew Energy and Americlean Energy Group explained their plans to construct 50 wind towers in the area.

The goal is to lease 10,000 acres of land to construct 200 to 250 MW of generating capacity according to Garth Klimchuck, Managing Partner of NorthRenew Energy.  He said they hope to attain that goal in the next 1 to 2 months.  

Mr. Glimchuck said each wind tower is capable of 4.2 mw of power.  Each land owner will receive $5000 per megawatt per year which equates to $21,000 per year for each tower.  The towers will be 605 feet high and the minimum distance between each tower will be 1/2 mile.  The turbines will be made in Germany, the towers in Korea and the blades in Portugal.

Mr. Glimchuck said wind farms currently are subsidized through government tax credits that will expire in 2021 but he said wind farms will continue to be profitable as coal fired generating plants are becoming antiquated and too expensive to upgrade. 

Construction is expected to start by mid 2020 and operations to start by mid 2021.  Construction of the towers is expected to take 9 to 12 months and the life of the wind farm is estimated at 25 to 30 years.  The contract for the wind farm stipulates that a form of financial security approved by the County "will be equal to the estimated amount, if any, by which the cost of removing the Windpower Facilities exceeds the salvage value less any outstanding debt on such Windpower Facilities(the Net Removal Costs)."

Clayton Township board member Bruce Tallyn expressed his concern that the transport of such large turbines would damage the township's roads and wanted assurance that the township road repair would be covered by the wind farm developers.

The wind tower developers have an office at 432 N .Chestnut in Minonk and they encourage those with questions to contact them. They will eventually have a website which will keep the public informed of the wind farm development.

Comments

Barry Stech: What's the going rate to the land owner for having one of those towers on the land
Adam Peterson: Up to 21,000 a year
Barry Stech: not bad
Paul Milashoski: I am a land owner I didn't get notified. Hope they have one in their backyard
Rick Uftring: I guess I will have to get cable at the shop, antenna won't work anymore.