December 12, 2013
Oklahoma

Another county wind farm

By Dale Denwalt, Staff Writer | Enid News and Eagle | December 11, 2013 | www.enidnews.com

BRECKINRIDGE, Okla. – Energy developers are nearing the end of the planning stage for a 32-unit wind farm at Breckinridge.

According to documents on file with the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, TradeWind Energy has filed a permit to build 29 turbines that will rise about 445 feet in the air. A map of the proposed wind farm shows most of the locations will be within a mile of Breckinridge town limits.

The small town already has approved the construction of three more wind turbines that will fall within its boundaries, Clerk Diana Shumate said Wednesday.

TradeWind spokeswoman Laurie Roberts said the field will generate 98.8 megawatts, or enough power for 40,000 Oklahoma homes. A customer for the power generated by the project, known as Chisholm View Phase II, has not yet been determined.

TradeWind also handled land and permit acquisition for the first phase of Chisholm View, which was completed several miles to the north near Hunter.

There also is no available estimate of the project’s cost, and there’s currently no third phase planned, Roberts said.

Because there still are some steps before construction can begin, TradeWind said a construction start date will be determined later. “We hope to have the project completed by the end of 2015,” Roberts said.

Phase II is significantly smaller than the first, which was dedicated in a September ceremony that drew senior officials with the Rome energy firm Enel Green Power. Enel manages the larger wind farm, which has 140 turbines.

The electricity generated by Phase I is sold to Alabama Power.

TradeWind’s new use permit is up for review Monday during the MAPC meeting. City staff are expected to recommend approval. Because of its proximity to Enid, TradeWind must request approval from Enid Woodring Regional Airport and Vance Air Force Base, via the Department of Defense.

The Defense Department, in an informal review, stated the wind farm would have “minimal impact” on military operations in the area. TradeWind, however, was asked to continue coordinating with the DoD.

Woodring chief Dan Ohnesorge said he has no issues with the turbines.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/12/12/another-county-wind-farm/