Wind farm proposed in Kings area
ROCHELLE — A wind farm could be coming to the area if a proposed project by the Northern Illinois Municipal Power Agency continues to progress.
The proposal of the joint-action agency is for the Eagle View community wind project, a set of wind turbines that might be located in the Rochelle area. Rochelle Municipal Utilities General Manager Gary Larsen said the proposed project includes up to eight wind turbines that would be located near IL Route 64, west of IL Route 251, near the Village of Kings.
Larsen said the area was chosen because it is one of the best locations for such a project in the state.
“Wind data suggests that the proposed location is in the top 10 percent in terms of wind resources in Illinois,” he explained.
He said although details have not been worked out yet, some cost assumptions have been made. To fund the project, NIMPA is pursuing grant and stimulus money. Larsen said if the agency receives 100 percent of the funding they are attempting to secure and Rochelle, Geneva and Batavia split the cost equally, the average retail customer would likely see a 40 cent per month increase in their bill. If the agency receives 50 percent of the funding, customer bills would increase by $1.15 per month and if the agency receives none of the funding, retail customers could see a $1.85 increase.
Larsen noted that customers also could see no increase, depending on funding options.
Larsen said benefits of the wind farm could be the area decreasing its carbon footprint.
“We could reduce our effect on the environment,” he said.
The project, he said, is in the advisory stage.
“At this point, we’re getting information out to the community and the area about this alternative renewable energy resource,” he said.
Larsen added that the next step for the project will be for the city councils of the agency’s partner communities, Rochelle, Batavia and Geneva, to review the information. He expects the Rochelle City Council to review the plan within 30 to 60 days. Larsen said if the project experiences a tremendous amount of support, it could be one year until the wind turbines are completed. He noted, however, that several steps and decision must happen first, including securing a special use permit from Ogle County.
Forum
More than 100 area residents gathered Wednesday night during an open house and forum hosted by NIMPA to give residents information about the proposed project. Some expressed concerns about what the project could mean for the area, specifically White Rock Township.
Kings resident and White Rock Township Planning and Zoning Commission member Mark Hayes lives on Mowers Road, adjacent to where the proposed wind mills would be constructed and said he has concerns about the benefits of the project to the township, including property tax revenues and residents not being able to utilize the power that is generated.
“We want to make sure that we don’t get these turbines and then receive no benefit for White Rock Township,” he said. “The majority of White Rock Township is not in the RMU grid, but is served by ComEd.”
Hayes noted that some of his neighbors share his concerns.
“Quite a few people are concerned about the aesthetics and property values,” he said. “…We want to see things more open and more communication about this to all of the residents of White Rock Township.”
BY EMILY CURTIS Staff Writer
Rochelle News-Leader
12 October 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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