August 17, 2012
Illinois

Wind farm plans might expand

BY BRIAN L. HUCHEL | Commercial-News | commercial-news.com 16 August 2012

DANVILLE – The first wind farm project to begin construction in Vermilion County is looking into the possibility of expanding its initial plans.

Kevin Parzyck, vice president of development for Invenergy LLC, confirmed Thursday the company is considering adding a second phase to its current California Ridge Wind Project on the western side of the county.

Parzyck, who related the information via e-mail, said the company is at this point speaking to landowners about the possibility. The project could be located either north or south of California Ridge or build off of it in both directions.

The California Ridge wind farm starts along County Road 2150N just north of Newtown in Pilot Township and stretches north and west to just across the line into Compromise and Ogden townships in Champaign County.

The project consists of as many as 134 wind turbines, 104 of which will be in Vermilion County. The project covers 23,000 acres of private land in Vermilion County.

It’s not been determined at this point what size the second phase could be if initiated and where the exact location would be. Parzyck said there is also no timeline for such as project.

According to Parzyck, current work remains focused on the completion of the California Ridge Wind Project. Turbine construction is continuing, he indicated, as well as testing of the turbines. The testing, according to Parzyck, will result in some of the turbines starting to turn.

The California Ridge project is expected to be fully operationally by the end of the year. Energy produced from the turbines will be purchased by the Tennessee Valley Authority through a long-term purchase agreement, Parzyck indicated in his e-mail.

The Hoopeston Wind Farm is the only other wind farm at this point that has permits to build in Vermilion County. Development of that project has been ongoing since 2008. The current timetable calls for it to be completed by 2014.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/08/17/wind-farm-plans-might-expand/