Wind developers are proposing to build the first major wind farm near Flagstaff on a cattle ranch about 22 miles southeast of the city.

Foresight Wind Energy is proposing to install 130 to 330 large turbines on the Flying M Ranch east of Mormon Lake and tie into federally owned power lines. In all, the proposed project could cover 55 square miles, and if fully built-out, provide the equivalent of 500 megawatts of electricity. About 100 megawatts of electricity would power half of Flagstaff -- or 25,000 to 30,000 homes in the Southwest. A 500 megawatt project would power 125,000 homes.

If approved and built, it would be the second major wind farm in the state, following a large array covering about 15 miles of ranch land between Holbrook and Heber.

Developers for this project first must get approval to tie into federal power lines and clear numerous other regulatory hurdles.

The proposed wind farm, called Grapevine Canyon Wind, would have turbines measuring 20 feet in diameter at the base, and standing 325 high from base to hub.

Adding blades measuring 125 to 185 feet, the turbines could measure 500 feet with blades on them.

They would be tall enough that they would have to be lit to avoid being hit by aircraft.

Foresight Wind Energy spokeswoman Amy LeGere said the power from the project would be marketed to Arizona and regional utilities. Arizona utility companies are under a renewable energy standard requiring them to produce or purchase 15 percent of their energy portfolio from renewable energy sources.

Cost for wind energy development is about $2.4 million/megawatt, LeGere said. A 100-megawatt phase would total about $240 million in capital investment.

The start of construction and eventual commercial operation will largely depend on Foresight's ability to sell the power it plans to generate from the wind farm. In a notice published in the July 24 Federal Register, Foresight stated it would like to begin construction in the fall 2010.

Several years ago, Foresight Wind Energy proposed to build another major wind farm in the Meteor Crater area, but construction never commenced. Utilities bought power out of state instead.

The Flying M Ranch is owned by the Metzger family, which runs cattle on a checkerboard of state and private land. Mandy Metzger is a Coconino County supervisor.

The developer must next complete an environmental impact statement analyzing the possible impacts to birds, bats, plants, people and views. Each wind turbine is expected to involve disturbing 1 to 1.6 acres. A 9-mile-long transmission line is projected to be about 200 feet wide.

Various aspects of this project would also need approval from the Arizona Corporation Commission, Arizona State Land Department, Coconino National Forest, and the Coconino County Board of Supervisors.

For more information about the project or to comment, see: http://www.wapa.gov/transmission/grapevine.htm.

Meetings on Grapevine Canyon Wind project

-- Monday, 6 - 8 p.m., Mormon Lake Fire Station

-- Tuesday, 6 - 8 p.m. Northern Arizona Center for Emerging Technologies conference room (near USGS), 2225 N. Gemini Drive

On the web

http://grapevinewind.com/index.php
http://wind.nau.edu/maps/