In 2007, the first line of wind turbines - windmills, as most people refer to them - were installed in Mahanoy Township and since then, the use of wind power as an alternative energy source in the county provides enough electrical power for thousands of homes in Pennsylvania.
Twelve more units have been added to the Locust Ridge Wind Farm in Mahanoy Township and a line of 51 wind turbines in the Locust Ridge II project were constructed along Locust Mountain in 2009 in East Union, Union and West Mahanoy townships in Schuylkill County and Conyngham Township in Columbia County.
The sight of modern windmills along the high ridges contrasts with existing and former coal mining operations in the valleys, a coexistence of two different energy sources. The wind farms have been operating largely without problems. There was a fire in Turbine 12 at the Locust Ridge site on May 14, 2009, which occurred when the turbine was undergoing routine maintenance.
Within the past two years, a proposed wind farm in Butler Township was fought by local residents and prevented from being constructed. Broad Mountain Development Co. LLC planned to construct 27 wind turbines in the Fountain Springs area, a proposal that received strong opposition from residents due to the proximity to homes and the North Schuylkill education complex. The township's amended zoning ordinance now addresses wind farms in providing conditions, such as setbacks, to regulate where they can be located, though not preventing them from being constructed within the township.
Working with Mahanoy Township landowners, Joseph and Angel Green, Iberdrola Renewables Inc., the second largest wind operator in the United States, installed the wind turbines in the township. The parent company, Iberdrola S.A., is based in Spain. Both local wind farms are operated by Iberdrola.
Paul Copleman, Iberdrola communications manager, said the wind turbines have met the company's expectations in Schuylkill County.
"We've been pleased with how the project has performed," he said from his office in Maine. "It worked so well that in a few years we decided to build more at that site."
Copleman said the Schuylkill County sites had the right conditions to be chosen for wind turbines.
"Like any project we would pursue, there are some important elements that are necessary for a wind farm to come to fruition," said Copleman. "The obvious one is that there is a strong consistent wind at the site. There also has to be access to transmission lines to deliver the power to the regional electric grid, the land has to be compatible and the communities have to be supportive. That was on display and that (was) a reason we could bring Locust Ridge and its second phase (Locust Ridge II) into commercial operation."
Copleman said there are no plans to add to existing wind farms or construct a third in Schuylkill County.
"It's fair to say that we are continually evaluating opportunities and we have projects in various stages of permitting and development throughout Pennsylvania," said Copleman. "There are no plans to expand this particular site. At this point, we are finishing up the construction of a new wind farm in southwestern Pennsylvania. We have no immediate plans of building another one in Pennsylvania, but we're looking at a number of opportunities."
Copleman said that Locust Ridge and Locust Ridge II are producing a large amount of electricity that is sold to PPL Electric Utilities Corp.
"Together, the two projects generate enough energy to power about 35,000 to 40,000 typical American homes each year," he said.
When asked why some wind turbines operate while others do not at times, Copleman said there can be different reasons.
"One explanation could be that you're seeing a difference in the wind resource as it passes over the ridge between one turbine and the next," he said. "Another reason is we could be performing regular maintenance. That can be expected, but the machines have been available and running the way we had hoped."
Mahanoy Township was the first municipality to have wind turbines installed, with 13 placed in 2007. Later, 12 additional units were placed.
"I love them because it's clean energy," said township Chairwoman Sharon Chiao. "When the work was being done, we had people telling us we where chasing all the deer and animals away, but when all the construction was done and it got quiet up there, the deer, bears and everything came back."
Chiao said the township benefits because of additional revenue
"The water authority (Mahanoy Township Authority) gets $28,000 a year and the township gets $36,000," she said. "People don't realize the amount of revenue that comes in from it and that it's clean energy. This ridge supplies a lot of wind and the wind is free. It took people some time in getting used to seeing them."
West Mahanoy Township has five wind turbines within its borders and everything has been working fine, according to supervisors Chairman Christopher Malocu.
"I haven't personally received any complaints about problems. I assume they're working good," he said.
The wind turbines were installed about three years ago, bringing in $1,500 per unit - $7,500 annually in total - to the township, which helps the township pay its bills.
""Every little bit helps," said Malocu. "There has been no problem getting the money from them. We send the invoice to them and within a couple of weeks we get our payment. Other than that, that's about all the contact we have with the company."
The story is the same with James Tarlecki, board chairman of the Conyngham Township supervisors. The township has seven wind turbines along Locust Mountain in Columbia County. They can be seen near Centralia and just north of the village of Big Mine Run in Butler Township. Conyngham Township receives $10,500 annually from Iberdrola.
"They installed them and we bill them each year," said Tarlecki. "We haven't received any complaints about them and we have no issue with them. The last real contact we had with them was about three years ago. So far, so good."Local turbines generate
electricity for thousands