January 17, 2007
Arizona

Wind project hits snag, delaying start-up date

Operations for the Western Wind Energy project just outside Kingman were initially supposed to begin at the end of March. Problems, however, have pushed back the start date for the first wind energy farm in Arizona.

“(The project) is in a little bit of a holding pattern until we can iron out a few issues,” said Mike Boyd, Western Wind Energy Corporation executive.

Western Wind Energy, developer for the project, has full expectations of seeing this plan come to life, Boyd said. It currently holds the deed to 1,100 acres behind the Nucor Steel plant, with zoning in place to build the project.

It hit a snag, Boyd said, in regards to transmission. Boyd said the company faces issues getting on line for a price it thought was reasonable.

A transmission line already runs through the property, Boyd said. However, the process of hooking up to the line has become complicated. Western Wind Energy has to work its way through a lot of regulatory, legal and negotiation issues before it can transmit any of the power the turbines would generate.

Boyd said the company expects to have the issues resolved within the next three months, by April 1, at which time it would be prepared to begin the project immediately, with grading of roads and completion of engineering.

When zoning was approved in April 2006, the project was to consist of 15 one-megawatt wind-turbine generators at a location just south of Kingman.

Since then, Boyd said the company has run into issues about placing turbines too close to other people’s property.

The company was forced to rethink the placement and number of turbines, Boyd said.

The plan now calls for approximately 10 1.5-megawatt wind-turbine generators, fewer turbines which will generate the same output.

Boyd said the project should be up and running some time this summer.

By Jennifer Bartlett
Miner Staff Writer

kingmandailyminer.com


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/01/17/wind-project-hits-snag-delaying-start-up-date/