Wind Power News: Washington
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These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted.
If it is good for Canada, it must be good for county, right?
James Boyle recently wrote that he was concerned about the sale of PSE to a group of foreign investors. This shouldn’t be a problem since the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) has as their mission statement: “The UTC protects consumers by ensuring that utility and transportation services are fairly priced, available, reliable and safe.”
The citizens of Washington recently passed I-937 which requires the use of narrowly defined renewable energy sources by utilities serving …
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Wind farm headed for Lincoln County
Windmills five miles south of Reardan will be generating electricity for Avista Utility customers by the end of 2011, the Spokane company announced Thursday.
The $120ƒ|million project will be a first for Avista, which has been buying wind energy from third-party suppliers for several years.
The Lincoln County windmills will have the capacity to produce 50 megawatts of power, enough for 37,500 homes. But wind variability reduces the average output of the towers to only about one-third …
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County approves Vantage wind farm
The 69-turbine, $250 million wind farm proposed for seven miles west of Vantage was approved Tuesday by Kittitas County commissioners, and construction at the site could start in October.
Commissioners Mark McClain and Alan Crankovich OK’d a final version of a development agreement with Invenergy Wind North America LLC after making minor changes to some of its provisions.
Before a wind-farm building permit can be issued to the Chicago-based energy company, a list of requirements in the …
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Avista nears pact for first wind plant
50-megawatt facility would cost $120 million, be built by 2012 deadline
Avista Utilities expects to reach an agreement soon to tie up a site to build its first wind-turbine farm and also has released generating-capacity and cost figures for the planned facility.
The Spokane company says in its recent annual report that it expects to construct the 50-megawatt wind-generation facility in 2010 or 2011 at an estimated cost of about $120 million.
“We are close to …
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Recent sightings raise hopes that sage grouse and wind farms may not be mutually exclusive
YAKIMA — One sage grouse, and one sage grouse nest containing broken eggs, might not mean much.
Or it might mean a great deal.
Especially when they were both found on the ridges almost directly between the state’s two existing populations of sage grouse, a threatened species in Washington and a candidate for federal protection status.
And they were found on, of all things, a wind farm.
While those discoveries last September won’t be the focus of tonight’s public …
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Why tribes may be key players in eco-energy
Native Green Energy sees vast potential in installing wind turbines on Indian reservations.
An effort to transform American Indian tribes into the world’s new energy barons is being nurtured at a company founded by a Puget Sound region Indian.
Native Green Energy, formed in October, is building wind turbines and delivering them to Indian tribes that will use the energy to power their own reservations and will sell energy to nearby cities and other governments.
“This is a …
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Puget Energy plans to expand wind farm in central Washington
Puget Energy Inc. said Thursday it plans to expand a wind farm on Central Washington’s Whisky Dick Mountain, boosting the site’s capacity by 17 to 22 percent.
The company’s Puget Sound Energy division said it will ask state regulators to let it add about 25 wind turbines to the site, known as Wild Horse Wind Facility, which is located near the town of Ellensburg. A total of 127 turbines already operate at the site.
Wild Horse currently …
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Kittitas County calls for wind farm changes
Kittitas County commissioners have affirmed that planned turbine locations in a proposed wind farm should be moved to comply with the required setback distance from two residences that exist near the project east of Ellensburg.
Commissioners Mark McClain and Alan Crankovich met Tuesday and reviewed with county staff a draft development agreement between the county and Chicago-based Invenergy Wind North America LLC.
The company is proposing to construct and operate the 69-turbine Vantage Wind Power Project 15 …
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Windmill rule ideas get public airing
The Columbia County Planning Commission hears options tonight that could change the face of local projects.
DAYTON — A controversy that has been brewing in Columbia County for months draws closer to resolution tonight.
The Columbia County Planning Commission will discuss options for amending the zoning ordinance regarding development requirements or processing for wind tower-related energy production.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Delany Building, 101 S. Second St.
Of the five options under …
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New wind farm gets first OK
The Kittitas County Planning Commission on Tuesday voted 5-0 to recommend approval of the proposed 69-turbine Vantage Wind Power Project, a $300 million wind farm proposed for 15 miles east of Ellensburg between Vantage Highway and Interstate 90.
In making the motion for recommendation of approval, Planning Commission member Kimberli Green said she had no problems with the project as long as Chicago-based Invenergy Wind North America LLC follows through with all environmental safeguards and mitigations …
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