US Independence Wind to reduce capacity of proposed wind project in Maine

(ADPnews) - Dec 30, 2010 - US small wind turbine installer Independence Wind said on Tuesday it would cut the turbine number at its proposed 129 MW Highland Wind project in Maine by 19% to 39 turbines.

The company placed a revised application for the project's approval with the Mine Land Use Regulation Commission.

In April, the commission put on hold the initial application as the developer did not possess all the land for the project. The wind farm project had also met opposition from residents and conservation groups in Highland Plantation.

In its new application Independence Wind also proposes to give a USD-6,000 grant to each household in Highland for energy efficiency improvements at residences as part of a community benefit agreement, required under the Maine law. Improvements could include weatherization measures, installing solar panels or using an electricity-based thermal storage system.

Under the community benefit agreement, the company also gives the state a permanent easement prohibiting wind power development on Stewart Mountain and offers USD 787,000 for land conservation in the project area.

Independence Wind estimates that its USD-210-million (EUR 157.3m) project would produce enough electricity to power 44,000 households. It is expected to create 300 jobs at the peak of construction and yield USD 500,000 a year in state, local and county taxes, according to the developer.

(USD 1 = EUR 0.749)

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