Allen County may be next for wind turbines
Letter: Allen County may be next for wind turbines | The Lima news | April 23rd, 2016 | limaohio.com
Letter: Allen County may be next for wind turbines | The Lima news | April 23rd, 2016 | limaohio.com
On May 5th, the Allen County Port Authority will vote to either allow or deny Apex Clean Energy permission to run a new wind energy transmission line along the railroad through Spencerville. Apex has offered the port authority approximately $700,000 to rent along the railroad. The Spencerville village council has absolutely no say in this decision, despite a 2013 resolution opposing the construction of industrial wind energy transmission lines through the village.
Apex plans to build an industrial wind site in the southern half of Van Wert county, from Ohio City to the edge of Allen county. It claims to have approximately 35,000 acres leased for this project. It will use a turbine model that makes the current Ohio turbines look like toys because the new ones will have a total height greater than 600 feet. In order for wind energy to be utilized by our grid, it must build new transmission lines which, according to one lease, will be located up to 50 feet north of the railroad and supported with H shaped towers at least 60 feet in height. The voltage is so dangerous the lines cannot be buried underground. After leaving Spencerville, Apex hopes to turn South and build along Kemp Road, before it eventually turns east to the Sellers Road substation in Shawnee. Multiple land leases have already been obtained.
In my opinion, a yes vote could bring wind development to Allen county.
To object, contact the port authority, through the county commissioners’ office or attend the 4 p.m., May 5 port authority meeting in the Allen Economic Development Group building on the corner of Spring and Main streets in downtown Lima.
— Dawn Davis, Spencerville
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/04/25/allen-county-may-be-next-for-wind-turbines/