December 4, 2012
New York

Orangeville wind farm waits on credit

By Matt Surtel | The Daily News | December 4, 2012 | thedailynewsonline.com

ORANGEVILLE – Construction of the planned Stony Creek Wind Farm next year will require the extension of a federal tax credit.

Preparatory work has been under way since summer for the wind farm that’s set to place 59 wind turbines in the town.

The limited construction so far has included clearing for some turbines and access roads, Invenergy officials said. Grading is expected to start this month for the project’s substation on Centerline Road.

The company is prepared to continue, but construction in 2013 will require congressional action to extend the wind energy Production Tax Credit, officials said. Such a measure may still happen this year.

The PTC allows 2.2 cents per kilowatt hour for wind, geothermal and “closed loop” biomass energy during a facility’s first 10 years of operations.

A Dec. 31 “in-service” deadline has been set for wind projects to qualify. The tax credit will expire if renewal doesn’t occur.

Attempts for renew the PTC have failed so far this year. In one instance, a proposed extension attached to federal transportation legislation was defeated 49-49 on March 13, with 60 votes needed for approval.

The Stony Creek Wind Farm’s turbines would be 430 feet tall, with a generating capacity of 1.6 megawatts each. The PTC was first established in 1992.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/12/04/orangeville-wind-farm-waits-on-credit/