A proposed wind farm that was shelved after Xcel Energy decided not to buy the power has been revived.
The Merricort project is a 150 megawatt wind farm set in McIntosh and Dickey counties. It was first proposed in 2008. But Xcel walked away from a deal to buy the power in 2011. The developer – known at the time as enXco, and now as EDF Renewable Energy – sued for breach of contract – but that lawsuit was dismissed.
"enXco still has a valid certificate, and is still trying to get a project going," said Public Service Commission chairman Brian Kalk. He says the original proposal was for 100 turbines, each generating 1.5 megawatts. He says the company has another option – to use 2 megawatt turbines, cutting the number to 75.
The Commission has scheduled a December 22nd formal hearing on the wind farm – to be held in Ashley.
"We've done a good job here of making sure we protect public interest when there are changes," said Kalk. "We've also got a good way of measuring this, for something that is this dated."
The proposed wind farm is also in the whooping crane flyway – and Kalk says that issue will also be looked at very carefully.
