Construction of the Twin Groves Wind Farm in eastern McLean County begins today, quashing any concerns about national security risks or wetland conservation.
Construction of the Twin Groves Wind Farm in eastern McLean County begins today, quashing any concerns about national security risks or wetland conservation.
Developer Horizon Wind Energy has received all permits and will start excavating land, developing access roads and staking out sites for the turbines today, said Bill Whitlock, project developer.
"You wont see any (turbines, blades or towers) for at least four to six weeks," he said. "Specialized crews will kind of follow each other through the project. It works in piece meals."
Work starts about a 1.5 miles north of Ellsworth on County Highway 17, Whitlock said. The wind farm is located just south of Illinois 9 near Arrowsmith, Ellsworth and Saybrook.
In a move some called politically motivated, Twin Groves and other Midwestern wind farms faced congressional concerns that the massive turbines could interfere with military radar …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]Developer Horizon Wind Energy has received all permits and will start excavating land, developing access roads and staking out sites for the turbines today, said Bill Whitlock, project developer.
"You wont see any (turbines, blades or towers) for at least four to six weeks," he said. "Specialized crews will kind of follow each other through the project. It works in piece meals."
Work starts about a 1.5 miles north of Ellsworth on County Highway 17, Whitlock said. The wind farm is located just south of Illinois 9 near Arrowsmith, Ellsworth and Saybrook.
In a move some called politically motivated, Twin Groves and other Midwestern wind farms faced congressional concerns that the massive turbines could interfere with military radar and pose a national security risk.
The Federal Aviation Administration is looking into the matter, effectively halting construction of several other wind farms.
Twin Groves already cleared that hurdle, however, said Michael Skelley, chief development officer for Horizon.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers studied the impact Twin Groves would have on wetlands. That archaeological study has concluded, giving Horizon the last federal permit needed for construction.
Twin Groves should be partially operational by the end of the year, Whitlock said.
The $500 million wind farm includes up to 267 turbines on 21,000 acres of land. It will generate about 400 megawatts of energy, enough to power about 120,000 homes.
The energy will become part of the Commonwealth Edison grid, which serves the Chicago area, Whitlock said.
The company also plans a wind farm at Blackstone in northern Livingston County, according to Horizons Web site. Construction there is projected to start in spring 2008 and conclude that December.--------------Twin Groves
Here are some facts on the Twin Groves Wind Farm under construction in eastern McLean County near Arrowsmith, Saybrook and Ellsworth: - The blade diameter stretches 328 feet, slightly longer than a football field. The turbine, measured from the tip of the blade at its highest point to the ground level, measures 492 feet high. - Blades rotate 10 to 14 times per minute. - The wind farm covers 21,000 acres of land. Crop production will resume on all but 150 to 200 acres. - About 160 landowners leased land to the developer of the project. Theyll earn about $1.2 million annually, or an average $7,500 each per year. - Throughout construction, 18 to 60 people will be on-site working each day. - The wind farm will sit 650 to 900 feet above sea level on a moraine, an elevated land mass left by Wisconsin glaciers more than 14,000 years ago. Its one of the highest points in Illinois. The highest is Charles Mound in northeastern Illinois at 1,235 feet above sea level.