Cook Inlet Region Inc. has partnered with a wind-energy operations
company, enXco Development Corp., to build and operate a wind farm on
Fire Island. Wind Energy Alaska LLC will be the state's largest
wind energy project. Several Railbelt utilities also are cooperating
with the new project.
CIRI officials cited industry statistics on costs, saying wind
generation facilities typically cost $1.5 million to $2 million per
megawatt to build. Phase one could be online in 2010, generating 30 to
50 megawatts of energy.
Fire Island is located in Cook Inlet, near Anchorage. CIRI, which
owns 3,200 acres on Fire Island, was involved in a wind project
feasibility study with Chugach Electric Association, Municipal Light
& Power, Golden Valley Electric Association and Homer Electric
Association. The companies determined that Fire Island has adequate wind
resources and reasonable space to support a major commercial wind
facility.
EnXco is based in Escondido, Calif., and develops, operates and
manages wind-energy projects nationwide.
Inside Alaska Business is compiled by Nancy Pounds of Anchorage. To
submit information for IAB, email to editor@akbizmag.com. Information is
printed two months after it is received on a space-available basis.
COPYRIGHT 2007 Alaska Business Publishing Company,
Inc. Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Copyright 2007, Gale Group. All rights
reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.
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