April 1, 2008
Colorado
Colorado
Pole Canyon Wind wants to erect more wind monitoring towers to see if the power is there.
WALSENBURG – A wind farm project that eventually could supply energy to more than 100,000 homes is one step closer to becoming a reality.
The Pole Canyon wind farm project would use 41 wind turbines to create 100 megawatts of renewable energy per year and bring 10-15 permanent, full-time jobs to the county.
Pole Canyon Wind LLC, led locally by project manager David Hettich, recently received a feasibility permit from Huerfano County to add three 60-meter wind monitoring towers to the two 30-meter towers already in place on the 5,820-acre site west of town and north of Colorado 69.
Hettich recently told the county commissioners that the proposed project eventually could grow to a capacity of 300 megawatts. According to a plan submitted to the county, the wind farm will cost between $200 million and $400 million to build. As many as 250 local workers would be needed to install towers, roads, a substation and an electric collection system over a nine-month period. The company plans to have the wind farm up and running by next year.
The wind farm would have a life span of 20 to 30 years and would not leave permanent scars on the land, according to the company. The land still could be used for cattle grazing after the turbines are in place.
By Tammy Alhadef
1 April 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/04/01/walsenburg-wind-farm-moves-ahead/