December 16, 2011
New York

Wyoming County wind farm plan gains approval from state agency

By Matt Glynn, News Business Reporter, The Buffalo News, www.buffalonews.com 16 December 2011

The state Public Service Commission has given approval to the Stony Creek Energy wind farm project in Wyoming County.

The PSC on Thursday issued a “certificate of public convenience and necessity” for the Town of Orangeville project. Stony Creek will consist of up to 59 wind turbine generators, access roads and underground electrical lines, as well as a construction staging area, a two-way interconnection substation and a centrally located operation and maintenance facility.

The estimated cost of the Stony Creek project is $175 million. Invenergy said it was “pleased to have received this important approval of the Stony Creek Wind Farm, and look forward to being able to build another renewable energy project for New York.”

The wind turbines will be as high as 430 feet, the PSC said.

The Town of Orangeville expects to receive $667,000 annually for 20 years as the host community for the wind farm, for a total of $13.3 million. The town supervisor previously called the project “the largest economic-development project in our town’s history.”

The project has generated concerns from many residents about the potential impact on noise levels and wildlife.

Stony Creek is a part of Invenergy, which was founded in 2001 and is based in Chicago. An Invenergy official said recently that the Orangeville project, once complete, will have four to six full-time employees. The official said that the project will also create construction jobs and that the town will benefit from the rebuilding of 7.5 miles of town roads at the end of the work.

Wyoming County is already home to more than 200 turbines in Sheldon, Wethersfield and Eagle.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/12/16/state-approves-wyoming-county-wind-farm/