Wind Alternative to Vermont Yankee?
Wind Alternative to Vermont Yankee?
Burlington, Vermont - March 22, 2009
wcax.com
The Vermont legislature will decide whether or not to renew the license for the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant -- but not until next year. In the meantime, the state's largest utilities are looking for alternatives, including wind power, as a potential replacement if the decision on Vermont Yankee is no.
Green Mountain Power Corporation has been interested in wind for several years, beginning with an array of turbines along a ridge line in Searsburg. And now the company is considering an energy future that may include more of it. "We're very interested in in-state wind as well as out of state wind," GMP spokeswoman Dottie Schnure told Channel 3, "and obviously we have to look at the cost of all of those."
Low cost has been the advantage of Vermont Yankee nuclear power. But with the nuclear plant due to close in three years unless its license is renewed, Vermont's largest utilities, Central Vermont Public Service and Green Mountain Power, are looking for potential alternatives. And now, in response to requests for proposals or RFPs, comes one to build a large off-shore wind power project.
Bluewater Wind of Rhode Island uses video from a similar offshore development in Denmark on its web site, Bluewaterwind.com. Company executive Erich Stephens said, "I think it's a great opportunity for Vermont because we're talking about... large amounts of clean, stable-priced energy that could really go a long way to make up what would be lost if they decide not to move forward with Vermont Yankee."
Bluewater Wind has proposed a long term power contract with Vermont that would provide 150 Megawatts. That's not as much power as Vermont Yankee produces, but a significant amount. Schnure of Green Mountain Power says wind, like any other potential source, must be analyzed in terms of its cost, reliability and environmental impact. "I can't talk specifics about any single proposal because there are confidentiality agreements," she explained. "But if you look at offshore wind, it tends to be a very good wind resource, very high quality wind. But the cost of transmitting it and particularly when it's fairly far away from Vermont, the costs of transmitting it are pricey."
An offshore wind project like the one proposed for southern New England between Martha's Vineyard and Block Island would require extensive regulatory review. But depending on what happens with Vermont Yankee's license extension, wind potentially could become a larger piece of Vermont's power puzzle.
Andy Potter - WCAX News
Burlington, Vermont - March 22, 2009
wcax.com
The Vermont legislature will decide whether or not to renew the license for the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant -- but not until next year. In the meantime, the state's largest utilities are looking for alternatives, including wind power, as a potential replacement if the decision on Vermont Yankee is no.
Green Mountain Power Corporation has been interested in wind for several years, beginning with an array of turbines along a ridge line in Searsburg. And now the company is considering an energy future that may include more of it. "We're very interested in in-state wind as well as out of state wind," GMP spokeswoman Dottie Schnure told Channel 3, "and obviously we have to look at the cost of all of those."
Low cost has been the advantage of Vermont Yankee nuclear power. But with the nuclear plant due to close in three years unless its license is renewed, Vermont's largest utilities, Central Vermont Public Service and Green Mountain Power, are looking for potential alternatives. And now, in response to requests for proposals or RFPs, comes one to build a large off-shore wind power project.
Bluewater Wind of Rhode Island uses video from a similar offshore development in Denmark on its web site, Bluewaterwind.com. Company executive Erich Stephens said, "I think it's a great opportunity for Vermont because we're talking about... large amounts of clean, stable-priced energy that could really go a long way to make up what would be lost if they decide not to move forward with Vermont Yankee."
Bluewater Wind has proposed a long term power contract with Vermont that would provide 150 Megawatts. That's not as much power as Vermont Yankee produces, but a significant amount. Schnure of Green Mountain Power says wind, like any other potential source, must be analyzed in terms of its cost, reliability and environmental impact. "I can't talk specifics about any single proposal because there are confidentiality agreements," she explained. "But if you look at offshore wind, it tends to be a very good wind resource, very high quality wind. But the cost of transmitting it and particularly when it's fairly far away from Vermont, the costs of transmitting it are pricey."
An offshore wind project like the one proposed for southern New England between Martha's Vineyard and Block Island would require extensive regulatory review. But depending on what happens with Vermont Yankee's license extension, wind potentially could become a larger piece of Vermont's power puzzle.
Andy Potter - WCAX News
Comment
Featured Discussion
Twitter Feed
© 2009 Created by PickensPlan
Badges | Community Guidelines | Report an Issue | Privacy | Terms of Service
You need to be a member of PickensPlan to add comments!
Join this Ning Network