National Wind Watch: Wind Energy News » Stark County citizen group petitions PSC to delay hearing on wind farm

BISMARCK – The North Dakota Public Service Commission is holding a special meeting today after the community group Concerned Citizens of Stark County submitted a request to delay a public hearing on the Brady Wind Energy Center that’s scheduled for March 2.

In its petition to intervene filed on Feb. 12, the citizen group claims that details in an application submitted to the state for a certificate of site compatibility by the wind farm’s parent company, NextEra Energy Resources, does not comply with either North Dakota law or Stark County ordinances.

The PSC confirmed Wednesday that the commissioners would hold the meeting at 12:30 p.m. MST, by which point she said the commissioners expected to have a response to the motion from NextEra’s legal counsel.

The 87-turbine Brady Wind farm was approved by the Stark County Commission in December amid a community debate that was deeply split over the project. CCSC is opposed to wind energy development within Stark County.

The Brady Wind Energy Center is proposed to generate 150 megawatts of energy through turbines stretched across the south side of the county between Dickinson and New England.

NextEra is also proposing the Brady Wind Energy Center II project to be built in Hettinger County. The number of turbines in that project has not been finalized, but it was stated in previous PSC hearings that the second phase would have at least 72 wind turbines and also generate 150 megawatts of energy.