Council updated on wind energy project

Kara Choquette, Director of Communications for both Power Company of Wyoming, LLC (PCW) and TransWest Express, LLC (TWE), and her colleague Ryan Jacobson, Director of Engineering and Construction for PCW, presented updates on the wind energy project with a full, informative budget at the July 7 Town Council meeting. Choquette clarified that since the government is able to collect sales and use tax in addition to property and energy taxes from selling the energy to surrounding areas, the total tax revenue expected over the initial wind project life is estimated at 780.5 million dollars according to figures from PCW. The separate TWE Transmission project will also pay property and sales and use tax.

At peak, there will be 114 total long term jobs for the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project. Choquette and Jacobson are confident that many of the jobs will come from local communities. In order to comply with standards on wildlife conservation, old sheep fencing have been converted to cattle fencing, bird ladders are being installed to keep avian life from being permanently stuck in equipment and tanks, and avian activity is being monitored so that PCW and TWE can understand how the birds use the area, Jacobson said.

Both projects involve federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and as such, they must complete environmental impact surveys (EIS) to get the right of way to continue construction, according to Choquette. Choquette says that these are the sorts of things that are delaying progress. “PCW would hope to be able to start the initial construction activities in 2016; however, PCW cannot accurately estimate when the federal permitting process will be complete,” Choquette said in an email. “Once PCS’s permitting process is complete, we wouldn’t begin construction without confirmation that there will be available transmission to deliver the energy to the market.” Transmission options include the TWE Transmission Project, Idaho Power/PacifiCorp’s Energy Gateway West project or PacifiCorp’s Energy Gateway South Project.

Engineering Associates asked the Council to sell them a town-owned plot of land so that they may erect a new office building at the meeting as well. They said that they plan to double their staff over the next five years and as such, the Bridge Street location cannot supply the necessary parking. They assured the Council that the building would be attractive and as a group of civil engineers and surveyors, they could plot the land themselves. A motion was made for the Council to begin the disposal process.

Johnny Portillo emailed the Council to mention improving awareness of dog and leash laws at Veteran’s Island, stating that during the summer he notices more park visitors allowing their dogs to run around off of leashes. He also brought up that new gravel was needed at the park, however the town had begun the process of shopping for gravel on July 6 and 7.