Plans to build a large wind-farm of
turbines to create electricity have been put on hold for now
according to the project's owner Apex Clean Energy.
The project was first announced 18
months ago and while it was initially praised for the economic
development, property tax revenue and construction jobs it would
bring in, it quickly gained a strong opposition, especially from
Fairfield Glade residents. With signs and t-shirts, those opposed to
the wind farm protested on the courthouse lawn and brought their
voice to the county commission and other legislative bodies.
These wind turbines above Oak Ridge are smaller
then the ones Apex had planned to construct
above Crab Orchard.
Protesters, many from Fairfield Glade, came
out for several months when the County
Commission met.
Earlier this year, the Tennessee
General Assembly put all such projects on an 18 month moratorium so
new rules could be formulated.
A map showing tentative locations for the wind farm.
Apex issued a statement on the project,
“Based on current market conditions and the project’s fundamental
qualities, we have decided not to make this significant investment at
this time. Our work on the Crab Orchard Wind project will be
therefore suspended until market conditions change to make the
project more competitive.”
Apex public affairs manager Kevin
Chandler confirmed the project was currently on hold.
A report prepared by the Howard Baker
Jr. Center on Public Policy at UT estimated that the effect on the
state's gross domestic product (GDP) of the project's construction
would total $76.4 million with $27.3 million centered on Cumberland
County. The operation of the project was estimated to increase the
state's annual GDP by $2.9 million and Cumberland County by $1.4
million. The study was funded by Apex Clean Energy.
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