A wind farm could soon be coming to Warren & McDonough counties. The Warren County Board hosted Senior Manager of Business Development for Capital Power, Matt Martin, at their meeting on Wednesday. The project has been in the works since 2008, but some setbacks have put the project in jeopardy. Martin shared some insight on the timeline:
“We’ve extended the leases through 2019. When we went back and talked to folks in 2016, they said, ‘This project has been around a long time. We’re not going to give you a five or 10-year extension. You’re going to have three years to get this done.’ We felt confident that we could get it done; that’s why you see that 2019 end date. So if this project doesn’t proceed by next year, it won’t happen,” Martin said.
Measurements of wind have been going on in Warren County since 2008 to determine how suitable the area is for a wind farm. The project’s title is Cardinal Point, and would feature 60 turbines spread out between Warren and McDonough counties – with 20+ in Warren County. If approved, the commercial operation of the wind farm wouldn’t commence until 2020.
The total investment by Capital Power is upwards of $225 million. The 30-year project would result in significant tax revenue for the County – somewhere around $600,000 per year.
written by Jackson Kane
