As a homeowner in the Pass for 30 years, and familiar with the wind patterns, I had reservations as to all the amounts of power that the wind developers claimed that they could generate and that this was even considered a “good’ wind area.

I began my research some years ago, as I became suspicious of all the claims made by this industry, by collecting data from many knowledgeable and reliable sources, as well as the California Energy Commission, which at one time published their actual production records.

The Wind Industry’s actual production records were so dismal and at variance with what they projected, they lobbied the CEC into not having to reveal their production records anymore.

Nevertheless, I still obtained 15 years of their production records and time of generation from 1998 until 2006. This data confirmed what I observed visually,
as I can see them from my house, when they work and mostly don’t. Every time the wind developers went to get another permit to put up more windmills, the developers always stated how many MW they were installing and how many homes they could provide energy for. What they would do is add all their generation as if it was generated 24/7 and divide it by the average household. This is very misleading and deceptive, as the records indicate:

Only 5-6% of their generation is at peak need time, 33% mid-peak and the balance of 60% when we need it the least; this off-peak generation is deemed as of lesser value, and we must keep in mind that they can only generate about 25% of their capacity, intermittently.

Another big drawback is that it is not constant. One minute it may be blowing and the next couple of weeks or months there may be none.

Even with the volatility of wind, windmills really don’t generate that much power. I became curious as to exactly how much power they were contributing to Edison.

These are the results:

• Wind Power has about 4,000 windmills in the San Gorgonio Pass, which amounts to approximately 375 MW of installed capacity.
• Because the wind is only good enough to generate power 25% of capacity, their generation amounts to an average of 93.5 MW per year, that they sell to Edison [Edison is mandated to purchase all that they generate].
• Edison uses on average about 13,000 MW per year in their service area.
• The astounding fact that has never been revealed is, this amounts to about only about 7 tenths of 1% of what Edison uses. This is all, after 25 years of exaggerated promises.

But, it even gets worse.

• If you take their average annual production of about 93.5 MW and subtract the 60% off-peak generation, this leaves a miniscule amount of about 2.8 tenths of 1% that is meaningful, if you can call it that, that is generated when we really need it, after billions and billions of ratepayer and taxpayer dollars in subsidization and even today they still get a portion from our monthly electric bills. I don’t think the people got much bang for their bucks!
• I also learned that when this “off-peak” generation can’t be sold [because demand is low and it can't be stored] the Utility gives it away for 0 cents, but pay the Wind Energy companies their contract price and charge this cost back to the ratepayers — legal double dipping? This off-peak generation is deemed as of “lesser” value. How often this happens is another unknown.
• Another finding is that wind is useless as capacity. Because of wind’s volatile nature, the utilities need a constant, reliable source of power to prevent power disruptions, including in their “spinning reserve” which is power on standby to accommodate any instantaneous demand.
• In order to accommodate wind into the grid, the California ISO turns down hydro and gas turbines [both fairly clean], because they are the easiest to manipulate the inconsistencies of wind power, the unreliability, constant on and off and volatile nature of wind. Also, you can see how small the amount of wind energy really is to the amount that Edison uses. Edison does not use oil. At best, there is some natural gas savings. In Public Hearings, they always refer to our reliance on Middle East oil and how Wind Energy will help alleviate that need. Their statement is simply not true.
• Another drawback is that wind power cannot be stored and cannot be called upon at will when we need it — it does not match the “time of need profile”. So, then, exactly what good is it? Except to feel good?!
• The bottom line is that wind energy is a DUPLICATION of capacity that the utilities already MUST have to provide a steady flow of power, without interruptions and blackouts. Because of wind’s intermittent nature, wind won’t work, it is really inconsequential.
• In Tehachapi, for many years there was a curtailment program, where the windmills were overbuilt for the grid which was too small to handle the surge. Edison made an agreement with the wind industry to just shut the machines down and paid them over $12 million which was also charged back to the ratepayers.
• I am very concerned that this big push by government officials for more wind power when I really don’t think they really understand how it works. They can cover the entire country with windmills and they would do nothing for our capacity. If you stop and think about this … when the wind stops, then what? Edison will have to come on line with the same amount of power that they always need to cover the instantaneous demand, we can’t be waiting for the wind to start blowing again.
• But most alarming are the misleading claims and outright misrepresentations made by the wind industry itself, with no one verifying what they say.
• Because of the wind industry, our power bills have skyrocketed and will continue to do so with each new windmill, while Edison can provide the same power for 2 cents per kWh.
• Unfortunately, the powers that be chose to believe the developers, without ever checking out their veracity or production records. Because of this hysteria for “green”, it appears that they would rather put our power supply at risk and have the ratepayers pay double and triple than what is necessary — for an illusion.

They have scraped miles and miles of desert, obliterated our views, rendered adjacent property valueless and impacted us with noise and dust for this minuscule amount of useless energy … it is beyond belief. And they have so far gotten away with it.

The only transmission has been the $’s from our pockets to theirs.

Alexandra Weit
Whitewater, CA 92282
June 23, 2007

The first letter below asks the city of Palm Springs mayor and city council for support for the preservation of the area (which is doubtful since all took large campaign contributions from local windmill developers).

The second letter is my response to the EIR for the Devers Palo Verde 2 powerlines that Southern California Edison wants to hang over the westernmost ridgeline of the San Jacinto Mountains. It has some background information on the history of this development.

If this project is approved it will set a really big precedent: 360Ft. windmills on top of the San Jacinto Mountains, 410 ft. high windmills placed directly in front of the spectacular Northern Face of Mt. San Jacinto at the very entrance to The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

Les Starks, Palm Springs, Calif.

The Palm Springs Mayor and City Council should be aware that the Riverside County Planning Dept. is currently processing Bill Adams’ (White Water Energy) proposal for WECS 118, a 2400 acre windfarm on land owned by Stephen Christensen between Snow Creek Road and the I-10 and extending up high into the San Jacinto Mountains. This will mean a large scale industrial windfarm directly behind the Palm Springs Hwy 111 exit sign on the I-10 freeway at the very entrance to the Palm Springs area. It will also mean an army of windmills in the San Jacinto Mountains and 410 ft. high windmills on flat land obscuring landmark views of the Northern Face of Mt. San Jacinto and the Snow Creek alluvial.

It is my sincere hope that The City of Palm Springs will oppose this development which would put 51 windmills at the scenic western entrance of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument and the front doorstep of Palm Springs that will rival the height of Casino Morongo.

Some of the most beautiful land in the San Gorgonio Pass has been destroyed by windmills. The ancient vista of the Northern Face of Mt. San Jacinto and the Snow Creek alluvial is as important to Palm Springs as The Indian Canyons and shouldn’t be sacrificed for a sprawling power plant.

If this development or any part of it is approved, other landowners will eventually sell out to windmill developers because the land will be worthless for any other purpose. Who would want build houses or live near 410 ft. high windmills?

I am asking the city leaders of Palm Springs to please support the preservation of Mt. San Jacinto and the Snow Creek alluvial by strongly opposing this development.

Sincerely, Les Starks

The Devers Palo Verde No. 2 Alternative will compromise, seriously degrade and detract from the spectacular scenic beauty of the magnificent Northern Face of Mt. San Jacinto and the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument and it will leave the Snow Creek area vulnerable to even greater degradation and visual blight by a proposed windmill development.

I spoke to a representative from White Water Energy in Oct, 2004 regarding his company’s plan for a large scale windmill farm in the area between Snow Creek Road and the Interstate 10 Freeway extending up the western ridgeline of the San Jacinto Mountains following SCE’s existing power lines. He seemed certain that the Cabazon Ridge project would be approved after SCE’s new power lines were installed. He said he was confident that the Riverside County Board of Supervisors would approve his plan because there would already be a clutter of very high profile industrial structures on the San Jacinto Mountains’ westernmost mountaintop ridgeline anyway. When Enron Wind, the past leaseholder of the land, wanted to construct a 600 acre windmill farm in the same area in 2001, two of the Riverside County Planning Commissioners used the same argument, saying SCE’s existing power lines through the area have already significantly degraded the landscape, so why would windmills be so objectionable. If SCE adds even more high profile power lines, this argument will be used again by Riverside County and the Palm Springs area could lose an important landmark, visual and recreational resource to inappropriately sited industrial power structures and massive electrical lines.

The oppressive of presence the DPV2 at the western entrance of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, which is the first scenic area, photo opportunity and hiking destination for desert visitors arriving via the Interstate 10 freeway, will greatly detract from the viewshed, general ambiance and quality of this unique desert wilderness area.

A key location in the Coachella Valley Multi Species Habitat Conservation Plan, Snow Creek is home to many threatened or endangered plant and animal species. In the unique group of canyons (Snow Canyon, Los Osos Canyon, Vargas Canyon) in the Snow Creek Alluvial, there is abundant water and evidence of ancient life.

It’s many unusual features include a towering waterfall which can be viewed from Snow Creek Road, the spectacular Northern Face of Mt. San Jacinto, the Oasis de Los Osos Preserve, Vargas Palms, the Snow Creek Rock Shelter (Riv. -210) and bedrock mortars, all of which should be carefully considered in this decision.

The presence of additional high profile power lines may also lead to the general degradation of the National Monument by visitors who see it as an industrial area.

Snow Creek is a high wind, high risk fire area that suffered greatly when SCE put the first towers and power lines through the San Jacinto Mountains. The SCE crew constructing the towers started a welding fire that swept through Snow Creek Village. Two homes were gravely threatened by the fire. Both had smoke damage and lost trees and landscaping. The fire raced up the mountain and firemen fought it for two days.

I can most certainly understand why the Morongo would not want these power lines strung through their reservation land, especially since they have so many already. But I really can’t understand them wanting it to go through Snow Creek, home to their ancient relatives, on land all local Indians consider sacred. Indian historian, Alvino Siva, has said that all local Indians consider the entire Snow Creek area sacred land that is critically important to their people, their history, their culture. It’s unfortunate that these power lines will change and blight land that is so important to all our local Indians and some kind of agreement hasn’t been made to prevent this and future degradation of this dramatically beautiful area continually threatened by industrial development.

Sincerely, Les Starks