Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington said she'd like to see 225 wind turbines in clusters spread across the state, producing 20 percent of the state's electricity within 10 years.

Symington released a proposal Wednesday that calls for increasing the state's use of wind energy from about 0.2 percent today to 20 percent, saying it would create jobs while shifting the state away from reliance on nuclear power and out-of-state sources whose prices are expected to increase.

State Public Service Commissioner David O'Brien called the plan "irresponsible." Wind is not reliable enough to provide that much of the state's energy, and Vermonters would not want to see that many turbines popping up across the landscape, he said.

"This is an ambitious, but achievable goal that will jumpstart our economy and provide a critically needed new source of power," Symington said at a news conference in the warehouse of NRG Systems, a Hinesburg company that manufactures wind measurement equipment.

The proposal goes well beyond the wind-energy plans of Green Mountain Power Corp., the state's second-largest utility which recently announced a push toward renewable energy. The company, which receives 0.6 percent of its power from its Searsburg wind plant, hopes to have 8 percent of its power come from wind within 20 years, spokeswoman Dorothy Schnure said.

Central Vermont Public Service Corp., the state's largest utility, is looking to diversify its electric sources as Green Mountain Power is, but will be seeking the cheapest, most reliable energy it can find, spokesman Steve Costello said.

O'Brien suggested wind won't fit the bill. "Wind has a value but you can't count on it," he said.

Schnure said the utility would need a back-up to wind power.

Symington accused O'Brien's boss, Republican Gov. Jim Douglas, of missing opportunities by not encouraging development of renewable energy. "We are missing out on hundreds of good jobs that a commitment to renewable energy and efficiency would bring," she said.

O'Brien acknowledged that Douglas has done nothing to encourage wind energy development in Vermont. "When it comes to commercial-scale wind we're very hesitant about it," he said.

Symington cited a recent state study that indicated most Vermonters support wind energy and said if the turbines are spread out geographically they won't be overbearing.

Symington and O'Brien disagreed about the need for a change in the state's energy portfolio.

"The tone of this press release is that there's a crisis afoot here. We have the lowest electric rates in New England. We have the lowest carbon footprint in the country. We are in good shape," O'Brien said.

Symington said there is urgency for change, given that contracts between the state's utilities and their largest providers -- Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant and Hydro-Quebec -- are up for renewal in the next decade. Power generators will be looking for higher prices and shorter contracts that will put the state in a pinch that could be avoided by producing energy within the state, she said.

Symington said that even if the Vermont Yankee plant is deemed reliable enough to continue operation after its license expires in 2012, the state should transition away from dependence on the plant within five to 10 years. The plant's owners are seeking a 20-year license renewal.

Green Mountain Power doesn't think Symington's timeframe is a good idea, Schnure said. "We respectfully think that is not realistic. We believe that ramping down Vermont Yankee over the next 20 years is a pace that can maximize the value of the plant for our customers and also encourage the development of renewable in-state resources."

Symington acknowledged that if Vermont Yankee, which provides one-third of the state's power, were shut and wind power were increased to 20 percent, there would still be a gap. She said 5 percent could come from energy efficiency.

Symington said she would attract more wind power to the state by reducing barriers wind developers face, such as duplicative permitting and requirements to set aside money upfront for the eventual decommissioning of the turbines. Those are stricter requirements than the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant faces, she said. "Basically, what you've got to do is get out of the way," she said.

O'Brien disagreed, saying he believes the assurance is in place for Vermont Yankee's decommissioning, and that Symington is too willing to set aside regulations for wind developers.