Puget Sound Energy and Renewable Energy Systems Americas have filed a conditional use permit application with the Garfield County for their proposed Lower Snake River wind energy project in southeast Washington.
According to Puget Sound Energy, the permit application follows the two companies’ December 2008 agreement to develop and construct the Lower Snake River wind energy project in Washington’s Garfield and Columbia counties.
The conditional use permit (CUP) filing said that, the Lower Snake River wind energy project is planned to produce up to 1,250MW of new wind energy in the region, with an anticipated 800MW generated by approximately 440 turbines in Garfield County and an anticipated 450MW generated by approximately 250 turbines in Columbia County.
Final energy capacity and turbine layouts will be determined through the state and county permitting processes and complete evaluation of the available wind resources and environmental impacts. The project is designed to be built in phases, with construction on support infrastructure targeted to begin in 2010.
Scott Piscitello, vice president of development for Renewable Energy Systems Americas (RES Americas) in southeast Washington, said: “The Lower Snake River wind energy project will expand the economic benefits and opportunities created by wind power seen in Columbia County.”