No land closures planned

General Maine

Greenwood residents Monday overwhelmingly approved proposed amendments to the commercial wind farm section of town ordinance, effectively banning such farms through a new tower height restriction. The vote was 206-41.

Zoning/Planning Maine

Many property owners have expressed concern about what they say are possible negative effects of wind turbines in areas such as noise, health, scenic resources, wildlife and property values. One new ordinance provision – the height restriction on turbine towers – would effectively ban commercial wind projects, according to town officials.

Zoning/Planning Maine

Superior Court Justice Andrew Horton says the executive order hasn't stopped any wind projects, but one of the groups behind the suit says it could be challenged if any are blocked.

General Maine

Franklin County residents and elected officials will have the opportunity Monday night to question Central Maine Power Co. authorities about a proposed Quebec-to-Massachusetts power line that would run through six towns and about 33 miles of the county.

Energy Policy Transmission Maine

LePage’s executive order says no wind turbine permits are to be issued until a new wind energy advisory commission reports on the impact of wind projects. The commission is collecting public comment until Aug. 15, and court documents say its 15 members, whose names have not been made public, include Governor’s Energy Office Director Steven McGrath.

General Maine

Investors in clean energy are looking to Maine's gubernatorial election to see if the political opposition to wind power will shift in the state, which is currently leading in Northeast wind generation.

General Maine

Major players in the industry are holding off on $3 billion to $5 billion in spending on land-based projects, waiting to see if Mainers elect a candidate who will be more open to wind power than Gov. Paul LePage.

Energy Policy Maine

Industry leaders and others gather in South Portland for a 2-day conference to explore the future of the power sector in the Northeast.

General Maine

The governor will release the names of the members of the wind commission when their first meeting is scheduled, which will likely be later summer or early September, after the public comments have been received,” McGrath replied via email.

General Maine

Maine Aqua Ventus vows to work with the Public Utilities Commission to get its pilot wind farm moving forward.

Offshore Wind Maine

General Maine

In other instances, the region’s growing fleet of wind and solar energy generators might have been able to help. But data gathered by ISO-NE found that snow and clouds during the period limited solar output to a small fraction of its potential. Generation from wind farms, too, was variable in the fast-changing weather conditions. At times, wind farms also were unable to feed power to the grid because of transmission-line congestion.

Energy Policy Maine

In mid-May, crews will be removing the nacelle of the turbine, which was heavily damaged in an April 1 fire. ...A Vestas engineer concluded that the turbine experienced “an arc flash,” a type of electrical explosion, that led to the electrical fire.

Safety Structural Failure Maine

According to the engineer’s findings, the turbine experienced an arc flash that caused an electrical fire. Officials with Vestas have declared the nacelle a total loss, though the tower and foundation are reusable, and will be providing the University with the costs for options ranging from decommissioning of the turbine to replacement of the unit. 

Structural Failure Maine

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) - The site is secure around the wind turbine that caught fire last Sunday night on the University of Maine Presque Isle campus.

Safety Structural Failure Maine

The turbine was located less than 300 feet from the school's soccer fields.

Safety Structural Failure Maine

According to UMPI President Ray Rice, the generator of the wind turbine caught fire around 10:45 last night. Rice said that produced an electrical surge which caused a good portion of the University to lose power.

Safety Structural Failure Maine

“It appears that the turbine generator caught on fire and the overload from it subsequently tripped the campus breakers,” Rice said in a statement. “This caused most of campus to lose power."

Safety Structural Failure Maine

A decadelong effort to establish an offshore wind energy industry in Maine is at a turning point, its future hinging on whether state utility regulators vote to reopen a power contract to test a patented technology for deep-water floating wind farms.

Offshore Wind Maine