Ind. counties start wind farm project

CHALMERS, Ind. (WLFI) - Leaders in White and Benton counties broke ground on a new a wind power project. The Meadow Lake Wind Farm groundbreaking took place in the northern Indiana town of Chalmers.

Horizon Wind Energy, the project developer, began construction in March. Project Manager Martin Culik said phase one of the wind farm will include 121 Vestas wind turbines. He said, combined, the turbines have the capacity of 200 megawatts -- enough to power 60,000 homes with clean energy for a year.

Culik also said building the wind farm will create 400 temporary jobs and 20 permanent jobs.

Chalmers resident Jerry Thompson is one of 150 landowners making the wind farm possible. He said his land is ideal for the project.

"We have wind everyday. It just depends on what direction it may come from. Of course, we're such a wide open rural area. We have large fields and no woods. So, it's just a prime spot in Indiana for such a project, I think," said Thompson.

Culik said, "Wind energy is pollution-free and obviously it's renewable energy. We don't have annual fuel costs. We're going to be hiring locals here on the order of 20-60 people that will be operating and maintaining these, so we have jobs."

According to Culik, phase one of the Meadow Lake Wind Farm is expected to be complete in October. There are a total of five phases.

A spokesperson from Horizon Wind Energy said the total cost of the project is more than $400 million.

Vestas Americas is the wind turbine manufacturer.