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| PRESS RELEASE: UPC VERMONT WIND FILES NOTICE TO SEEK WINDFARM APPROVAL |
| UPC Voluntarily Complies with Notice Recommendations of the Governor’s Commission on Wind |
| 10/07/2005 |
BOSTON, October 7 – Today, UPC Vermont Wind, LLC announced that it has provided formal notice to the Towns of Sheffield and Sutton and the Northeastern Vermont Development Association of its intention to seek Vermont Public Service Board approval for a 40-52 megawatt wind power facility in Sheffield and Sutton, Vermont. UPC is providing at least 60 days advance notice, rather than the 45 day period prescribed under current law, in keeping with the December 2004 recommendations of the Governor’s Commission on Wind Energy and Regulatory Policy. In that same spirit, UPC Vermont Wind has provided a courtesy copy of the formal notice to all towns within a ten-mile radius of the proposed project.
The State of Vermont recently passed legislation requiring new, renewable sources of energy to be produced in-state to fulfill the growing electric demands of Vermont. “We are dedicated to developing a clean and affordable power option for Vermont. This project will go along way in helping Vermont meet its renewable energy goals,” explained Project Manager Timothy Caffyn. UPC has previously made public its interest in the Sheffield site through regulatory filings and has conducted informational meetings, along with a fact-finding trip to the Searsburg Wind Facility in southern Vermont.
The proposed Sheffield Wind Farm would consist of the construction and operation of between 20 and 35 wind turbines. The turbine layout would run along two parallel ridges in Sheffield and Sutton, including Hardscrabble Mountain, and a second ridgeline that runs from Granby Mountain to Norris Mountain. The elevation of the ridges varies between 1970 feet and 2520 feet. The project also includes the ancillary roads, electric lines, and a substation to interconnect the windfarm with an existing VELCO transmission line. UPC Vermont Wind expects to employ 50 to 80 people during construction, with the majority of the workers who are involved in road, foundation, and electrical line construction coming from local labor pools. The project has been under development since 2003.
About First Wind
First Wind is based in Newton, Massachusetts. First Wind is an American-owned company, with a proven track record of developing, owning, and operating well-sited, community-friendly wind farms that increase energy independence. For more information on First Wind, please visit http://www.firstwind.com
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For more information, contact:
John Lamontagne
Director, Communications
First Wind
617-964-3340
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