Developer group mulls 400MW US wind farm

Building on an existing proposal to develop a 400-megawatt (MW) clean energy superhighway between New York and Vermont, Invenergy Wind yesterday released a new proposal that would see the development of a 400MW wind farm in Plattsburgh, New York.

Dubbed “The Wind and Hydro Response,” which was offered as part of the Clean Energy Request for Proposals (RFP) from Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Invenergy's plan would deliver energy produced at the Bull Run Energy Center wind farm alongside hydro power provided by Hydro-Quebec.

The project's configuration, the companies assert, would help the trio of states ensure “a firm block of clean, renewable energy is delivered round the clock” to electricity customers.  

The wind power would be brought to market via a yet-to-be-developed 60-mile clean energy transmission cable known as the Vermont Green Line from Beekmantown, New York to New Haven, Vermont proposed last September by Anbaric Transmission and National Grid. 

The cable would be buried along public roadways and submerged under Lake Champlain. According to a study released last fall, the green line could deliver enough electricity to power 400,000 homes and save New England energy customers $500 million.

The hydro power is to be delivered through the existing electricity grid. As part of the proposal, Hydro-Quebec has committed to supplying “up to 400MW of new, verified hydropower generated by its Quebec hydropower stations”, according to a joint statement.

Kevin Parzyck, Invenergy's vice president of development, said that his firm believes “combining wind generation with firming hydro will positively transform the energy supply in the region”.  

Invenergy is a Chicago-based renewable and clean power generation and storage developer with more than 10,300MW of projects in operation, in construction or under contract including wind, solar, and natural gas-fired power projects.