May 8, 2014
Oregon

US Navy tells E.on to move turbines

8 May 2014 by Patrick Smith | Windpower Monthly | www.windpowermonthly.com

E.on has agreed to move the planned location of 29 turbines at a wind project in Oregon as a result of concerns from the US navy.

The developer will relocate the turbines, which are part of the 535MW Brush Canyon wind farm, due to the navy’s concerns over the obstruction of flight paths from the nearby Boardman naval weapons systems training facility.

E.on has also agreed to keep the height of transmission lines for the project to under 37 metres. The project is currently going through the permitting process and is due to be completed in 2017.

The navy said that the concessions were necessary as “wind turbines located in close proximity to or within navy airspace can interfere with critical training and testing, as well as radar and telecommunications.”

Roger Natsuhara, navy principle deputy assistant secretary for energy, installations and environment, said: “As wind energy increasingly contributes to the nation’s energy portfolio, it will be vital to maintain positive relationships with developers to protect critical navy capabilities.”

In 2012 President Barack Obama blocked the construction of four 10MW wind farms near the same naval base by Chinese-owned firm Sany due to national security concerns. It was the first time in 22 years that a US president blocked a foreign business deal.

These planned projects were much closer to the base than Brush Canyon, however, with a number of the Sany turbines directly in the navy’s restricted airspace.

[rest of article available at source]

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/05/08/us-navy-tells-e-on-to-move-turbines/