National Wind Watch: Wind Energy News » Funding for Berlin wind farm up for council hearing Wednesday

CONCORD – A proposal for $4.1 million in Business Finance Authority financing for a Berlin wind farm project is expected to be opposed Wednesday at a public hearing before the Executive Council.

Documents supplied to the council say the project on private land on Jericho Mountain will cost $9 million, and will include two wind turbines producing 2.85 megawatts of electricity. The city of Berlin Zoning Board has approved the Jericho Power LLC project. It does not need Site Evaluation Committee approval because it is considered a small generating facility.

Lori Lerner, president of NHWindWatch, said her group has many concerns about the project including how many turbines would be built; the company has said up to five.

“We want to make sure communities have the understanding and knowledge to move these projects forward properly,” Lerner said, “and not have them come back in the future to harm these communities.”

She said her group wants to be sure the project actually serves a public benefit and does no harm – requirements to site a generating project.

Palmer Management Corporation from Cohasset, Mass. would build the project and manage it. The company has a 20-year contract with NH Electric Cooperative to purchase the power the wind farm would generate at a cost of $75 per MW hour.

The company believes it can be generating power by the end of next year. It estimates the project will create about 10 full-time jobs when it is under construction and about 1.5 jobs when it is operating.

The company has received Federal Aviation Agency approval and has already begun road construction. The facility will be adjacent to Jericho Mountain State Park.

The council meets at 10 a.m. in Executive Council Chambers in the State House.