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WORK STARTS ON $160 MILLION WIND FARM
 ground breaker: Jay Andrews of All Phase Development moves earth Monday at the Elkhorn Valley Wind Farm. Andrews, a Summerville resident, is one of about 10 All Phase employees working on a staging area. (The Observer/BILL RAUTENSTRAUCH). - Bill Rautensrauch - The Observer A local construction company broke ground last week for Horizon Wind Energy's wind farm at Telocaset, in southern Union County near North Powder. All Phase Development of La Grande is building a staging area that will serve crews as they erect 61 wind turbines on the hills around Telocaset, said All Phase General Manager Clint Porter. "We've got about 10 workers out here, general laborers and heavy equipment operators," Porter said. "The nice thing about this project is that most of the dollars are staying here in Union County." Porter said All Phase will dig three approaches for culverts, construct fences and erosion control dams, and build a pad for an operations and maintenance building. Workers will also lay foundations for two temporary and three permanent meteorological towers, he said. Horizon Wind Energy plans to install the wind turbines over about 10,000 acres of open range leased from about a dozen local landowners. Telocaset Wind Farm Partners LLC, a Horizon subsidiary, has charge of the project. The turbines will be built on open ridgetops in the area around Pyles Canyon, between the Grande Ronde Valley and the Baker County line. Strong winds accelerate as they pass over the ridgetops and through the canyon, Horizon said. The facility, called the Elkhorn Valley Wind Farm, will provide up to 104 megawatts of electricity to Idaho Power Company. Horizon says the turbines, underground power lines, roads and substation will blend well with current land uses. The turbines and substation itself will make a footprint of about 150 acres, according to information posted on the Horizon Web site. Porter said he expects it will take All Phase three weeks to a month to complete its part of the project. Bill Moskaluk, Telocaset Wind Partners construction manager, added that his company is soliciting bids for the rest of the work. Moskaluk said he didn't at this point want to comment on a targeted completion date. "I'd like to plead the fifth on that," he said. "We do expect to be working throughout the spring and summer." Texas-based Horizon Wind Energy, formerly Zilkha Renewable Energy, received a conditional use permit from Union County for the project in 2005. Among other requirements, the company had to demonstrate the wind farm would have minimal impacts on range practices and wildlife. Construction was delayed as Horizon worked out a power purchase agreement with Idaho Power. The 20-year contract was finally inked Dec. 15, according to Idaho Power spokesman Dennis Lopez. Still pending is approval from the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. Hilary Foote of Horizon said recently that more than 200 workers will be involved in construction. She said they will erect towers, build about 17 miles of road, lay 12 miles of underground cable and string 4 miles of overhead cable. The turbines will be connected to Idaho Power's 230-kilovolt line two miles west of of the project site. When the project, estimated at $160 million, is complete, it will provide between 8-15 year-round jobs, according to Foote. Union County has been an enthusiastic backer of the project from the beginning. Estimates of tax revenues vary between $250,000 and $700,000 per year. |
