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State Invests $3.2 Million In 15 Cambria County Windmills
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With Growing Greener Watershed Restoration funds all but running out to help meet federal Clean Water Act mandates, the state this week announced a $3.2 million state Renewable Energy Program grant has been approved to help pay for the purchase and installation of 15 wind turbines in Elder, West Carroll and East Carroll townships in Cambria County.
The grant was requested by Patton Wind Farm LLC. The 30-megawatt wind farm project is fully permitted, and construction is expected to begin early next year and be completed by the end of 2012.
A modern, utility-scale wind turbine like those being constructed as part of the Patton Wind Farm project provides about $10,000 to $12,000 in income to a landowner leasing wind rights, in addition to tax payments to local school districts and municipal governments, said Rep. Gary Haluska (D-Cambria) who represents the area.
“These clean energy projects have the added benefit – in addition to increasing the value of surrounding land and attracting more economic activity and revenue to the region – that they also have a very small footprint,” Rep. Haluska said. “That means in many cases, the land the wind turbines are located on can remain in productive use as farms or for other income-producing purposes.”
Rep. Haluska said the Patton Wind Farm project is owned by EverPower Wind Holdings Inc., the same company that developed the 62.5-megawatt Highland Wind Project and the Highland North wind farm project – both also in Cambria County.
Rep. Haluska announced a $6 million grant through the state’s Alternative and Clean Energy Program for the Highland North project in January.
Rep. Haluska said by the end of this year, EverPower Wind Holdings is expected to be producing 137.5 megawatts of power using wind energy in Pennsylvania, with the Patton Wind Farm and other projects in construction adding an additional 200 megawatts. A 2-megawatt wind turbine will power the equivalent of about 500 homes for a year.
The total cost of the Patton Wind Farm project will be more than $57 million. Patton Wind Farm LLC will provide an investment of nearly $54 million.
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11/7/2011 |
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