Archived Story

Avista Corp. to put wind farm on hold; Noxon dam retrofit planned
Posted on Dec. 2
By the Associated Press

SPOKANE, Wash. - Avista Corp. plans to delay building a wind farm by at least two years, citing the high cost of the windmill-like turbines.

The $125 million wind farm is now planned to begin operating at the end of 2013. It will be part of the first wind-generation project built by the Spokane-based utility.

For now, company spokesman Hugh Imhof says there are cheaper ways to add energy to Avista's portfolio. He says Avista is retrofitting turbines at its Noxon Rapids Dam in northwestern Montana. For $48 million, the project will boost the dam's output by 28 megawatts - enough electricity for 21,000 homes.

The wind farm will have capacity to produce 50 megawatts of power, but the variability of wind speeds reduces the turbines' overall output.
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