National Wind Watch: Wind Energy News » Duke Energy to concentrate wind park leasing in just 2 townships

MANISTEE – Duke Energy has announced it will concentrate its plans for the up to 200 megawatt Gail Windpower Project in Manistee and Benzie counties in just two of the four townships it started leasing in.

“Without question, the biggest factor in this decision is the concentration of lease option agreements we’ve reached in Joyfield and Pleasanton,” said Duke Energy Renewables Vice President Milton Howard. “We also took into account input we received during meetings at Duke Energy-sponsored information sessions and in our Gail Windpower Project office in Beulah, as well as results of a landowner survey we commissioned Central Michigan University to conduct to help us refine the project footprint.”

Duke has said it will no longer seek to lease land in Manistee’s Arcadia Township or Benzie’s Blaine Township.

According to Duke, a majority of those polled in Joyfield and Pleasanton Townships supported the development.

Duke said it will honor the leases in the two townships no longer being considered.

“It doesn’t matter if a landowner lives in Joyfield, Pleasanton, Arcadia or Blaine – our unique pooling agreement means that everyone who signed up to participate will benefit financially if the Gail Windpower Project is constructed and achieves commercial operation,” said Howard.

The ultimate size of the Gail Windpower Project will depend on the electricity needs of the power purchaser, but Duke Energy Renewables does not expect the overall capacity will exceed 200 megawatts (MW), as originally announced. The number, potential output and precise location of the wind turbines that will constitute the Gail Windpower Project will be determined later in the development process, following further refinements and upon completion of Duke Energy Renewables’ comprehensive “micro-siting” of each and every turbine.