Getting started

The components are coming.

The first three test loads for Bitter Ridge Wind Farm in southwestern Jay County were scheduled to be delivered today, with major turbine components to follow beginning Monday.

“After a little bit of a slow period this winter, things are really picking up and active again now,” said project manager Pete Endres of Scout Clean Energy, the Colorado firm that has developed the project.

With test loads coming today and major components coming next week, crews from lead contractor M.A. Mortenson of Minneapolis will begin erecting turbines late this month.

When complete, the wind farm will consist of 52 2.82-megawatt turbines bordered by county roads 400 South, 250 West, 1100 West and the Jay-Randolph county line. They will be nearly 500 feet tall at the tip of the blade, with the hub at 292 feet.

The coronavirus pandemic that has shut down chunks of the American economy has had an impact on some Scout projects, particularly those that are in the early stages of development. But it has not slowed down the Bitter Ridge timeline or availability of components thus far. Rather, it’s biggest impact has been in the area of safety.

Mortenson has implemented new protocols in an effort to keep its employees safe. No more than two, and no less than two, employees work within close proximity of each other to avoid the spread of illness while still providing back-up in case there are problems. The company has also installed plastic dividers between the driver and passenger sides of its vehicles.

“Safety is always our paramount concern,” said Endres. “But it’s even more so with this pandemic we’re dealing with.”

Part of the reason the project has been able to move forward without a hitch thus far is that it started in early August. Access roads came first, and by late October Jay/Portland Building and Planner director John Hemmelgarn reported to Jay County Commissioners that all of the foundations for the turbines were in place.

Work was also well underway on the substation on county road 700 West near county road 500 South, as well as underground cables and transmission lines.

“I think we benefitted in this case by having a large chunk of the construction done before this pandemic hit,” said Endres. “We’re fortunate to be … on schedule. And the project overall still is on track.”

The cables and transmission lines will be completed in the next couple of months. Crews will continue to erect turbines through August, with testing expected to run from July through early September. The project is expected to go online in late September.

As major components begin being delivered today and next week, they will come from the south on Indiana 1. County road 800 South will be a major delivery route for getting those pieces from the laydown yard at the intersection of Indiana 1 and county road 800 South to the various turbine locations. Other roads that will see significant traffic in areas include county roads 600 South, 575 South, 600 West, 800 West, 450 West and 325 West.

“This will be probably the period of time that’s the largest inconvenience for people, the largest impact to the public roads,” said Endres. “So I want to make the appeal to residents that they should be very careful on the roads, look out for big equipment, look for traffic and just be safe.”

A road use agreement in place between the county and Scout requires the company to restore the roads to as good or better than their original condition once construction is complete. The goal is to get as much of that paving done in 2020, but it is likely to extend into 2021, Endres said.

Bitter Ridge, which will become the county’s second wind farm following NextEra Energy Resources’ Bluff Point Wind Energy Center, has been in development for several years, with Scout officials first meeting with county government groups in late 2017. Despite some local opposition, the project earned approval from Jay County Plan commission in June 2018 and was awarded a 10-year tax abatement by Jay County Council two months later.

In all, Scout is projected to pay about $13.7 million in taxes over the 25-year life span of the wind farm and landowners involved in the projected are expected to receive about $13 million in rent. Jay County got the first of four annual $390,000 economic development payments from Scout after it started construction last year.

“It’s very exciting, in particular now that turbines are starting to come to the site,” said Endres. “I’m personally a little bit disappointed that I can’t be out there right now to see the first ones come to the site, but I’m looking forward to when the travel ban is lifted and I can get out there and see it myself. But … the bigger picture is very exciting that we’re still on track and we can deliver this project, as promised, to the county, to our landowners and to our other stakeholders.”