Iberdrola Renewables has formally submitted an application to the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee (SEC) to build the 75.9 MW Wild Meadows wind farm.
The proposed project would feature 23 wind turbines: 15 in Danbury and eight in Alexandria. If approved, the Wild Meadows Wind Farm would become Iberdrola Renewables' third wind power project in the state, following wind farms in Lempster and Groton that went online in 2008 and 2012, respectively.
Iberdrola says it has been studying and evaluating the Wild Meadows project since 2009, conducting a wide variety of wildlife, environmental and technical studies, in consultation with New Hampshire state agencies and local experts.
The company estimates the project's economic impacts include first-year payments of $695,000 to the Town of Danbury, $370,000 to the Town of Alexandria, up to $565,000 for New Hampshire's general revenue fund and $280,000 to the local landowners. Ongoing annual payments to the towns would start at approximately $545,000 to Danbury and $325,000 to Alexandria, with 2.5% annual increases, the company adds.
The economic impacts are expected to carry on through construction and the operation of the project. Citing a study by the University of New Hampshire, Iberdrola says the construction phase would create the full-time equivalent of 404 jobs (direct and secondary jobs), resulting in $21.77 million in earnings and $42.35 million in increased economic activity. During the operations phase, Iberdrola says the project would create 13 full-time equivalent jobs (direct and secondary), $770,000 in annual income and $2.31 million of increased economic activity each and every year for the life of the project.
The comprehensive SEC review process is expected to last approximately one year.
