Smoky Hill Wind Project running into little criticism
1:22 p.m. Friday, October 3, 2008
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius says Kansas is the "Saudi Arabia of wind." And, the governor said the state can be proud of leading a "made in America" energy policy that uses homegrown natural resources.
She spoke at the dedication of The Smoky Hills Wind Project near Lincoln Thursday. And, she's not the only one who's admired the turbines.
"I get to gawking at them windmills and forget what I'm doing," Lincoln resident Leon Kingan said.
Most people who drive by the Smoky Hill wind farm just want to know exactly how the turbines work work.
155 turbines cross the Lincoln and Ellsworth county lines, covering more than 20,000 acres.
The Murrays are just one of more than 100 landowners who have turbines.
"We were excited, but we were also concerned that it be done in a manner that was in keeping with the land and made sure that the prairie wasn't destroyed," Cheryl Murray said.
They have seven, and say they're pleased, and their cows don't seem to mind either.
"We have cattle that graze up there, and in summer the cattle go and stand in the shade of the turbines," Murray said.
Each one is 260 feet tall. Each blade is about the size of one and a half football fields. It takes an average wind speed of about 8 mph to get the turbine running. And, one turbine produces enough energy for 20 homes.
So where is all this energy going?
"Kansas City Board of Public Utilities, Sunflower Electric. We have Midwest Energy, and with our second phase, we have Independence, Mo. and the the city of Springfield," said Jason Martinson with Enel North America.
Ellsworth County Commissioner Albert Oller says part of the profits going to land owners and the county will benefit the local economy in the form of spending.
Ellsworth and Lincoln counties are expected to received a combined annual payment of $300,000 per mega watt for 10 years.
The project will generate enough electricity in one year to power 85,000 homes.
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Oct. 3, 2008 at 7:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)pillforyourills (anonymous)
10% of all Kansas energy will come from wind power by the end of the year? Is that number accurate? I saw this report earlier and thought it was too good to be true!
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