U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the Department of Energy finalized a $102 million loan to Record Hill Wind, LLC. The loan guarantee, in conjunction with an investment by the Yale University Endowment, will support the Record Hill wind project.
The project consists of a 50.6 megawatt wind power plant, an eight mile transmission line and associated interconnection equipment near the town of Roxbury, Maine in Oxford County. The energy created will provide sustainable power to the state while funding 200 construction jobs.
“This innovative project creates jobs in Maine while boosting domestic wind generation in order to achieve the Administration’s goal of doubling clean energy produced in America by 2035,” says Secretary Chu. “Clean energy is a major driver of American competitiveness, and investments like these are essential to secure our position as global leader.”
The Record Hill wind project will consist of 22 turbines and new transmission lines to interconnect with Central Maine Power, the local utility. The turbines will be installed with innovative Turbine Load Control (TLC) technology, a system of sensors and processing software that allows the turbines to continue to generate electricity under turbulent conditions, rather than be shut down completely. TLC is also expected to reduce wear-and-tear on the turbines, reduce operation and management costs, and preserve the lifetime of the turbine components.
