LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Wind farm won’t move forward until year’s end – Eight turbines proposed for Anaconda’s C Hill 

Credit:  By George Plaven of The Montana Standard | Nov 20, 2012 | mtstandard.com ~~

ANACONDA – The fate of a controversial wind farm proposed atop Anaconda’s C Hill remains on hold until at least the end of the year.

NorthWestern Energy continues to evaluate the project – one of about 30 proposals submitted from across the state – as the company seeks up to 45 megawatts in renewable generation from two or three community-owned developments.

If selected, the wind farm at C Hill would consist of eight, 400-foot tall turbines generating 19.2 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power an estimated 6,000 homes in the area. By comparison, the famous smelter stack is 585 feet tall.

Anaconda-Deer Lodge County began negotiations for a wind energy development lease in 2009, working with the Philipsburg-based Pintler Power LLC on the initial research. It then got in touch with Exergy Integrated Systems, which put together and submitted the proposal in August.

But Butch Larcombe, spokesman with NorthWestern Energy, said they are still working with an energy consultant to evaluate the applications and have not reached any decisions.

“It is absolutely not a done deal,” Larcombe told The Montana Standard. “We have to look at these (proposals) to assess them fairly and honestly.”

The Public Service Commission has stipulated that NorthWestern must generate 15 percent of its electrical capacity from renewable sources by 2015. It is possible NorthWestern could look further into several proposals or none at all.

Average wind speed and data collected at C Hill show the resource is adequate for energy development, according to Pintler Power. C Hill is also located close to an existing NorthWestern transmission substation.

Peggy Beltrone, project manager with Exergy, previously said the wind farm would bring along a number of construction jobs, several permanent positions and highlight redevelopment of Superfund land.

A recent Standard poll of readers found a majority would support the project: of the 739 votes cast, 523 were in favor; 195 were opposed; and 21 had no opinion.

Critics question whether a wind farm would be noisy, ugly and detract from open space on C Hill. Proponents feel it would make beneficial use of the land.

NorthWestern is not expected to compile a short list of finalists until late December or early January.

Source:  By George Plaven of The Montana Standard | Nov 20, 2012 | mtstandard.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon