September 19, 2011
Alaska

Delta Wind Farm owners seek state certificate

Dermot Cole, newsminer.com 19 September 2011

Businessman Mike Craft and his partners in a Delta wind-power project filed a request for a certificate of public convenience and necessity with the state, according to a filing with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska.

One condition of a $2 million state grant they received to build the project was to file for such a certificate.

Craft, the managing partner, owns 50 percent of the limited liability company, Alaska Environmental Power, while accountants Richard Clymer and Marvin Hall own 25 percent each.

The application says:

“Applicant has constructed a wind farm in the Delta Junction area with nine turbines; seven with a generating capacity of 1.8 kW, one with a generating capability of 100 kW and one with a generating capability of 900 kW (the “Project”). All output is sold to GVEA pursuant to the terms and conditions of a current 2 MW experimental power sales agreement. Applicant intends to construct an expansion to the Delta Junction Wind Farm with sixteen 1.6 MW turbines. All output of the expansion will be sold to GVEA pursuant to the terms and conditions of a power sales agreement to be negotiated.”

In June, the Alaska Energy Authority wrote to Alaska Environmental Power that the grant would not be “closed out” until the certificate was applied for. The company filed the request Aug. 24.

In comments filed with the RCA Friday, GVEA President Brian Newton said the utility “supports AEP’s application for certification as a wholesale supplier of wind generated energy; however, GVEA seeks to clarify and correct some of the information” in the application.

“GVEA currently buys power from AEP under the Experimental Renewable Resource Purchase Program. GVEA’s experimental program standardizes the power purchase arrangements with members for small-scale renewable sources that are less than 2,000 kW in nameplate capacity. GVEA is not in negotiations with AEP on a power sales arrangement nor does GVEA have any plans to buy more than the already contracted for 2,000 kW of nameplate wind power from the Delta Junction Wind Farm.”

GVEA did not accept the Delta wind farm proposal earlier this year, opting instead to pursue the 25-megawatt Eva Creek wind project near Healy.

Newton said that if the Delta project is expanded, “transmission line infrastructure and permits would be required in addition to an interconnect and purchase power agreement with GVEA.”


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/09/19/delta-wind-farm-owners-seek-state-certificate/