DAVENPORT – In a significant step toward expanding renewable energy infrastructure, Omaha-based Tenaska and Toronto-based Cordelio Power have announced plans to construct two wind farms in Lincoln County. The ambitious projects, named Hawk Creek and Lincoln Southwest, aim to harness the wind in the northeast and southeast portions of the county, promising to bring sustainable energy production to the region.
The Hawk Creek project is set to span a vast area, reaching north to Lake Roosevelt, east to Reardan, west to just beyond Davenport, and south approximately to Bluestem. Meanwhile, the Lincoln Southwest project will cover a north-to-south stretch near Harrington. Both initiatives mark a significant investment in the area’s renewable energy potential, with Tenaska’s director of project management, Monte Ten Kley, leading the charge in negotiations for land leases and agreements with private landowners.
In the coming week, Ten Kley revealed, the companies will host two meetings in Lincoln County to discuss the upcoming projects further. With plans to build a 400-600-megawatt wind farm in the Davenport/Reardan area and a 200-350-megawatt farm near Harrington, the ambition is to secure between 40,000 to 60,000 acres for Hawk Creek and 30,000 acres for Lincoln Southwest. Given that each turbine, capable of producing between 4.5 to six megawatts, requires approximately 2/3 an acre, the larger of the two farms could feature over 100 turbines, transforming up to 200 acres of county land.
So far, agreements have been signed for 7,000 to 8,000 acres of land, though Ten Kley has kept the number of involved landowners and farmers confidential. Lincoln County Commissioner Rob Coffman mentioned that while the company stakeholders had initially approached the commissioners, communication has since been sparse.
Ten Kley emphasized the preference for leasing private land for the entirety of the projects, though he did not rule out the possibility of utilizing public land if necessary. Highlighting the region’s exceptional wind resources, he expressed optimism about the projects’ potential, noting these would be the company’s inaugural wind farms in Washington State, complementing two other pending projects in Spokane County.
Construction, however, remains on the horizon, with a timeline that includes reaching interconnect agreements for turbine transmission and approximately two years of research before breaking ground. The start of construction is anticipated to be four to six years away, with a substation location for the projects yet to be determined.
A recent meeting at Memorial Hall in Davenport outlined the benefits to landowners, promising compensation for pre-construction rent, annual operational rent, crop damage, signing and construction bonuses, along with specific rent rates for acreage and turbines.
In an effort to foster community engagement and transparency, the companies have opened an office in Davenport and scheduled additional meetings in Lincoln County. An upcoming session is set to take place at Reardan Community Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 8:30 a.m., offering residents the opportunity to learn more about the wind farm projects and their implications for the local community and environment.
Source: Odessa Record
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings