October 8, 2011
Massachusetts

Kingston MBTA station turbine plans proceed

By Kathryn Koch, Wicked Local Kingston, www.wickedlocal.com 8 October 2011

KINGSTON – The Massachusetts Bay Transition [sic] Authority paid a courtesy call to Kingston last week, updating the Planning Board on its plans for a 100-kilowatt wind turbine on the north side of the commuter rail tracks at train station.

Plans are in the works for a groundbreaking ceremony possibly later this month, according to MBTAspokesman Joe Pesaturo.

“The project is advancing at a steady pace,” he said.

With nine bids from interested contractors, Pesaturo said staff at the “T” will ask new General Manager Jonathan Davis to approve a contract by the end of the week with the firm SPS New England, which submitted the lowest bid of $334,334.

By state law, the T isn’t required to seek approval from the town for installation of the wind turbine but was invited to meet with the Planning Board to provide an update. The project is being funded with federal stimulus funds.

When operational, the 120-foot-tall wind turbine with 35-foot-long blades is expected to generate enough energy to cover 65 percent of Kingston station’s power needs. The turbine will power parking lot and platform lighting and plug-ins for locomotives.

A 300-kilowatt wind turbine is planned for the MBTA’s commuter rail station in Bridgewater next year. It’s estimated the two turbines will save the MBTA about $100,000 annually in electricity costs.

The town does not directly benefit from the T turbine. Site work has begun at the capped landfill to prepare for installation of a turbine to serve the town. The town has lease and power purchase agreements with private developers for the wind turbine and a solar array project on the capped landfill.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/10/08/kingston-mbta-station-turbine-plans-proceed/