Apex to break ground on 80-MW Virginia wind farm by end-2017 - report

US renewable energy plants operator Apex Clean Energy expects to start building an up to 80-MW wind farm in northern Virginia by the end of this year, a company official was quoted as saying by The Roanoke Times on Tuesday.

Apex Clean Energy’s development manager Charlie Johnson told the Botetourt County Board that if everything goes well, construction works could start by November or December. Meanwhile, the developer will continue to search for a power utility willing to sign an off-take contract for the plant’s output.

The 25-turbine Rocky Forge wind farm will have a capacity of between 75 MW and 80 MW and will be capable of producing up enough electricity for up to 20,000 homes. According to Johnson, turbine installation is likely to commence next summer, with commissioning anticipated for end-2018.

After securing clearance at all levels of local permitting, Apex Clean Energy’s “Permit by Rule” (PBR) application for the project received the green light by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in March. The developer expects the scheme to provide between USD 20 million (EUR 17.05m) and USD 25 million in state and local tax revenue throughout its lifespan.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.853)

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