September 30, 2011
Michigan

Sigel Wind Farm gets preliminary OK

By Kate Hessling, Tribune Staff Writer, Huron Daily Tribune, www.michigansthumb.com 30 September 2011

BAD AXE – Huron County planners on Wednesday gave conditional approval to a second wind farm DTE Energy is working on in Huron County.

During a special planning commission meeting, DTE Energy Wind Site Development Manager Matt Wagner summarized Part 1 of the utility’s site plan review application for the Sigel Wind Farm.

He explained that the farm will consist of a maximum of 44 General Electric 1.6 megawatt turbines. There are 11,400 acres within the project boundary, which is generally bounded by MacDonald, Dobson, Finkel and Sand Beach roads. Within that area, the typical turbine density will be two to three turbines per section.

The project will comply with the county’s setback requirements, Wagner said. It’s also expected to comply with the ordinance’s noise limits, and based on a multi-year study of birds and bats, it should have a minimal effect of wildlife, he said.

The Sigel Wind Farm is one of three wind farms DTE Energy will build in Huron and Sanilac counties.

The Minden, Sigel and McKinley wind farms – which together will generate approximately 110 megawatts of electricity – will be sited in portions of Bloomfield, Sigel and McKinley townships in Huron County, and Minden and Delaware townships in Sanilac County, according to an announcement DTE officials made April 13. DTE officials said the total investment is expected to be about $225 million.

The goal is to have the wind farms up and running by the end of next year, Wagner said.

Earlier this month, the planning commission granted DTE Energy conditional approval for the DTE McKinley Wind Farm. That wind farm will consist of nine General Electric turbines, Wagner said during a Sept. 1 special planning commission meeting. He said there are 2,384 acres within the boundary, which generally is bound by Campbell, Gagetown, Filion and Caseville roads.

The site plan reviews for the McKinley and Sigel wind farms have been done in two parts. Part 1 of the McKinley Wind Farm site plan review was done Sept. 1, and DTE officials expected to submit Part 2 sometime next week or the week after that at the latest. Wagner said Part 2 for the Sigel Wind Farm will be submitted shortly after that.

“So basically, … we’re hoping to get (both parts submitted) in early October … mid-October at the latest,” Wagner told the Tribune on Thursday.

Wagner previously explained DTE Energy wanted to do the site plan reviews in two phases because the company wants to get some preliminary work – like the installation of access roads and connection lines – started this fall.