on Monday passed a resolutio endorsing the wind generation project being developed east of Petersburg by Third Planet Windpower, LLC.
Steve Boyer, representative of Third Planet Windpower in the Petersburg area, said the company is amending its original bid to Nebraska Public Power District and creating a Community Based Energy Development (C-BED) project.
The company will develop a prospectus and allow the area landowners the first opportunity to be direct investors in the project.
“We have learned in working with NPPD that C-BED projects are given priority, so we need to amend our bid and adhere to the C-BED requirements,” Boyer said. One step will be to apply to the Nebraska Department of Revenue and have the project certified by that agency.
If built, the project will include 55 to 65 turbines, capable of producing 1.5 megawatts of electricity each. The total wind field would encompass about 15,000 acres or 35 square miles, producing up to 100 megawatts of electricity.
The resolution states that this facility is to be built within the next four years, pending the purchase power and interconnect agreements with NPPD.
Boyer also asked the commissioners to suggest nonprofit or 501(c)3 organizations with a countywide base that could receive some of the proceeds from this wind field. Commissioners suggested the Boone County Foundation, Boone County Health Center Foundation, or possibly the Boone County Development Agency. Boyer said he would talk with the leaders of those organizations.
