Project: Kingdom Community Wind, Lowell, Vermont
- The project is highly contentious and had impacts within ten different communities with a strong regional identity and tourism-based economy
- Key issues included visual (aesthetic), land use and noise impacts. Project included 21 turbines along with nearly 17 miles of collector lines and transmission line upgrades
- SE Group worked on behalf of the State of Vermont to review impacts and provide expert testimony during Public Service Board review
Project Description
More Projects
In 2008 Kingdom Community Wind, LLC (KCW is partially owned by Green Mountain Power Corporation) began a process to plan, design and permit for a 21-turbine wind generation facility with a nameplate capacity of 63 MW. The project, located on Lowell Mountain in northern Vermont, would also require the extension and upgrade of approximately 17 miles of transmission and collection lines and upgrades to three substations.
SE Group was originally retained in late 2008 by the State of Vermont Department of Public Service (DPS) to review the initial meteorological towers for visual and land use impacts. In 2010, after this initial review process and with the successful completion of background wind data collection, KCW filed for a Certificate of Public Good (CPG) before the Vemont Public Service Board. As a consultant to DPS, SE Group began an independent review and assessment of the visual, land use and noise regime and prepared reports and testimony highlighting a number of issues that KCW should address. These documents were supplemented through live expert witness testimony at board proceedings.
In June of 2011 the project was granted a Certifiate of Public Good. Working with DPS legal counsel, KCW was able to address the the issues raised by SE Group to the satisfaction of the State. SE Group will continue to advise and consult with the State on issues of compliance with CPG conditions as the project moves forward into implementation.
