A decision by the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) will allow larger wind turbines to be used at the Marble River wind farm, located in Clinton County, N.Y. The project is owned by Horizon Wind Energy and EDP Renewables, a subsidiary of Energias de Portugal.
‘The changes we are approving to the Marble River wind farm will help maximize project efficiencies to reduce construction and operational costs while continuing to minimize environmental impacts to the maximum extent practicable,’ says Garry Brown, PSC chairman.
The 3 MW turbines to be installed at Marble River are 492 feet tall and are designed to achieve greater efficiencies of production by utilizing new gearbox and control designs. In addition, an increased height and blade-swept area will maximize generation potential at low- and medium-wind-speed sites, according to the PSC.
Earlier this year, wind farm developer Marble River LLC requested modification of the plan previously approved by the PSC. The company said its construction schedule must proceed by early July in order to accommodate planned outage on the New York Power Authority's 230 kV interconnection line later this year, and to maintain the viability of financing the construction of this 216 MW wind energy plant.
Based on the decision, Marble River will site and operate 72 Vestas V112-3 MW turbines with a total maximum generating capacity of up to 216 MW. The company was previously authorized to install up to 109 2.1 MW wind turbines, with a rated project output of 229 MW.
The project, as now configured, will include significant reductions in the length and area of access roads, a reduction in the length of underground electrical collection lines and the elimination of overhead collection lines, with overall disturbed areas and wetlands impacts significantly reduced, according to the PSC.
