The Public Service Commission will hold a hearing September 4th for a wind farm in Mercer County – that had already been okayed.
The Antelope Hills Wind Energy Project is 172 megawatts. It would use up to 85 turbines. Back in December, the PSC approved the project under the name Sunflower Wind. But the wind farm changed hands – and the new owner has some changes in where the turbines will be placed.
"This whole thing is kind of troubling to me, quite honestly," said Commissioner Brian Kalk. "There had better be some good reasons why they're looking at it. And if they come back, saying this is the most efficient use, then it puts the question in my mind why there have been changes."
But Kalk says there’s a broader issue to be discussed.
"We need to flush out if these people coming to us for the first time really intend to build a wind farm, or just to get a certificate they can sell to someone," said Kalk. "That's not the way our energy industry should be developed."
The original cost for the project was $240 million.
