The horrible realities of wind power in Maine
Morning Sentinel|Steve Clark|October 7, 2007
Imagine that number of turbines, strung along our mountains from the Maine-New Hampshire border, along the spine of the mountains to the Kennebec River and beyond. Roads up steep slopes will have to be built to each grouping of turbines. New power lines will be strung down valleys to reach grid connections. Blinking lights at night will be visible for a hundred miles or more. This scenario is too horrible for most Mainers to believe, or even visualize. Yet it is being proposed.
Imagine that number of turbines, strung along our mountains from the Maine-New Hampshire border, along the spine of the mountains to the Kennebec River and beyond. Roads up steep slopes will have to be built to each grouping of turbines. New power lines will be strung down valleys to reach grid connections. Blinking lights at night will be visible for a hundred miles or more. This scenario is too horrible for most Mainers to believe, or even visualize. Yet it is being proposed.
It may sound ludicrous to most readers to suggest that wind power development in Maine may mean that more than 1,000, 400-foot wind turbines may be installed on mountain tops and ridges, mostly in western Maine. Yet this is exactly the scale of development being considered.
Developers, state agencies and even ecological groups such as the Natural Resources Council of Maine familiar with long-range development of wind power know this, but do not reveal this fact publicly for fear of riling people up.
The Public Utilities Commission said in its 2005 report on wind power that it estimates the initial phase of wind power development in Maine can be up to 1,000 megawatts. Because each of these huge turbines generates about one megawatt, it …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright] It may sound ludicrous to most readers to suggest that wind power development in Maine may mean that more than 1,000, 400-foot wind turbines may be installed on mountain tops and ridges, mostly in western Maine. Yet this is exactly the scale of development being considered.
Developers, state agencies and even ecological groups such as the Natural Resources Council of Maine familiar with long-range development of wind power know this, but do not reveal this fact publicly for fear of riling people up.
The Public Utilities Commission said in its 2005 report on wind power that it estimates the initial phase of wind power development in Maine can be up to 1,000 megawatts. Because each of these huge turbines generates about one megawatt, it would mean 1,000 or more turbines built.
Imagine that number of turbines, strung along our mountains from the Maine-New Hampshire border, along the spine of the mountains to the Kennebec River and beyond. Roads up steep slopes will have to be built to each grouping of turbines. New power lines will be strung down valleys to reach grid connections. Blinking lights at night will be visible for a hundred miles or more. This scenario is too horrible for most Mainers to believe, or even visualize. Yet it is being proposed.
All we need to do for this to happen is to say nothing, or not to care.
Steve Clark
Shapleigh