- Northern New York Newspapers
- Watertown Daily Times
- The Journal
- Daily Courier-Observer
- NNY Ads
- NNY Business
- NNY Living
- Malone Telegram
CLAYTON Horse Creek Wind Farms developer could introduce a larger project under the states Article X siting process.
Paul N. Copleman, communications manager with Iberdrola Renewables Inc., said the current proposal which would be considered by a state siting board instead of Clayton planners if, and when, the developer moves forward is for a wind farm of up to 126 megawatts.
However, the state, in Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos recently released energy highway blueprint, identifies Horse Creek Wind Farm as a potential renewable energy project with an electricity-generating capacity of at least 126 megawatts and as much as 376 megawatts.
We havent made any determinations yet about the size of the project or the type of wind turbines we may propose, Mr. Copleman said.
Wind farm developer Atlantic Wind LLC, a subsidiary of Iberdrola, last asked Clayton to consider a 48-turbine, 96-megawatt project.
In 2005, it initially sought a 130-megawatt project with 62 turbines in the southeastern part of Clayton and the neighboring town of Orleans, but downsized it by removing Orleans from the projects scope.
After a year of inactivity, the company recently suspended its local application with the Clayton Planning Board to seek an Article X review, which would expedite the approval process and give a state siting board the authority to override local zoning laws that it deems unreasonable.
We did recently inform the town of Clayton that we intend to pursue the Article X process for our Horse Creek project, but we dont anticipate beginning that process until next spring at the earliest, Mr. Copleman said, adding that it is premature to speculate on the timing of a project application to the state.
There are too many unknown factors that could affect the application and construction of Horse Creek, he said, such as the condition of the electricity market and federal policy.
Congress has yet to renew the U.S. governments production tax credit for wind energy, which is set to expire at the end of the year.
The $12 billion tax credit provides 2.2 cents per kilowatt for the first decade of a wind farms operation and opinions are split, with the Obama administration pushing for the continuation of the incentive and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney seeking to end wind subsidies.