More than $29 million spent with Maine businesses from wind energy construction

First Wind, an independent United States-based wind energy company, reported construction milestones and local economic benefits from the company’s Rollins Wind project in Maine. Construction is nearing completion with 34 of the 40 turbines installed at the project site.

As part of the construction and development activities for Rollins Wind, more than $29 million has been spent directly with 97 Maine-based businesses. As construction nears completion, there are still about 175 workers on the project site, but during peak construction the site supported an average of 200 jobs each day.

Matt Kearns, vice president of Northeast Business Development for First Wind, said, “When this project goes online, it will produce enough renewable energy to power nearly 23,000 Maine homes per year. It will also continue to contribute to the local economy by delivering a total of $24 million in tax revenues to the four neighboring communities over a 30-year period while generating regional business activity through our ongoing operations on the project site.”

As part of the work on Rollins Wind to date, First Wind reported the following milestones and associated economic benefits:

• $29 million spent directly with Maine-based businesses;
• 97 Maine-based businesses have been involved in project development and construction, including 19 local businesses;
• Over 500 different contract workers have logged more than 200,000 man hours on the project site, which has averaged 200 workers during peak construction;
• In addition to the 34 of the 40 turbines already installed, significant progress has been made on the project’s necessary transmission and infrastructure including the construction of a 5,000 square-foot Operations and Maintenance building.

First Wind’s Rollins project received approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on April 21, 2009. On August 6, 2009, the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) unanimously voted in support of the DEP permit.

On October 7, 2009, the Maine Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved a 20-year long-term electricity supply contract to purchase the renewable energy generated from the Rollins Wind project. Construction of the project is expected to be substantially completed by July, with the project expected to be online sometime in August.