North Carolina regulators approve construction of state’s first wind farm

Spectrum News 1:

A wind farm with up to 45 turbines, planned for Chowan County in northeastern North Carolina, got final approval from state regulators Tuesday.

The wind farm proposal is the first to be approved in North Carolina by the Department of Environmental Quality. State lawmakers passed a law in 2013 allowing for wind farms, but this is the first permit to get final approval.

“This is a big deal,” said Katharine Kollins, head of the Southeast Wind Coalition. She said state regulators had to build a permitting process from scratch and this approval could pave the way for other wind farms in the state.

Timbermill Wind, LLC, has been working to get approval for the project for eight years, Kollins said. The company is part of Apex Clean Energy, which has dozens of wind farms and solar projects around the country. 

“Timbermill Wind represents an enormous economic opportunity for Chowan County and the entire region,” Apex senior development manager ​​Jimmy Merrick said in a statement.

The wind farm in Chowan County could generate up to 189 megawatts, according to Apex.

[Charles Duncan]

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