By Mary Drier
Staff Writer
THUMB AREA — One energy company had hopes of being able to continue construction on its wind farm for another few months, but Ol’ Man Winter has tossed a wet blanket of snow on that.
Consumers Energy was in the process of building its first wind farm, Cross Winds Energy Park in Tuscola County, when the weather halted construction.
According to Akron Township Zoning Administrator, Christina Martens, Consumers has installed 13 foundations but put the remainder of the project on hold until spring.
The company was approved to build 43 turbines with two alternate locations, access roads, three meteorological towers, an electrical collection system, a lay-down yard as well as equipment and facilities.
In addition, as part of Consumer’s Cross Winds Energy Park includes 19 turbines, with one alternate location, access roads, a meteorological tower, an electrical collection system and facilities in Columbia Township.
Consumers plan is to to start setting the turbines in 2014 and to complete the project that year.
In other wind development projects in Akron Township, NextEra Energy Resources second wind farm, went on-line mid November.
NextEra’s Tuscola Wind II Energy Center project is located
See WIND A10
in the townships of Akron, Fairgrove, Gilford, and Juniata. There are 38 turbines in Fairgrove Township, 10 in Akron Township, and 11 in Gilford Township, and a collection site in Juniata Township to connect to the ITC power lines.
Tuscola Wind II is east of NextEra’s Tuscola – Bay wind Energy Farm with its 68 turbines in Gilford Township and seven in Saginaw County, which became operational in December 2012.
Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.