The New York State Public Service Commission has authorized the construction and operation of a wind energy project capable of generating 112.5 MW of electricity in Sheldon, N.Y., that will connect with an existing New York State Electric & Gas Corp. (NYSEG) transmission line.
In granting a certificate of public convenience and necessity, the commission included appropriate conditions to assure that the public interest considerations regarding reliability of the interconnected electric grid are addressed and that environmental management of the facility is appropriate, using the wind turbines proposed by Sheldon Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Invenergy Wind. According to the developer, the estimated economic benefits in the project area will be $2.1 million annually.
Sheldon Energy plans to build 75 wind turbines – each rated at 1.5 MW – plus 20 miles of access roads, overhead and underground electrical lines, a two-acre interconnection substation, construction staging areas and a centrally located operations and maintenance facility. It will connect with NYSEG's 230 kV Stolle Road-Meyer transmission line.
According to the petition, the project will sell its output into the wholesale markets administered by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) or adjacent control areas. The company will participate in renewable energy programs with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, green marketers and other buyers. In addition, the project will offer capacity, voltage support and ancillary services to the NYISO markets. According to the petition, the company will sell the output of its project exclusively at wholesale and will not be a retail supplier of electricity.
