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Work under way on Perrin Ranch wind farm project
Initial earthwork begins as NextEra Energy waits for final approval from Arizona State Land Department

Submitted graphic<br>
NextEra's Perrin Ranch wind project will include 62 wind turbines in all. The turbines will be approximately 262 feet tall from base to the hub at the center of the blades and over 400 feet to blade tip. The turbines will be spread over 20,000 acres with each turbine taking approximately a half-acre per turbine out of service on Perrin Ranch.

Submitted graphic<br> NextEra's Perrin Ranch wind project will include 62 wind turbines in all. The turbines will be approximately 262 feet tall from base to the hub at the center of the blades and over 400 feet to blade tip. The turbines will be spread over 20,000 acres with each turbine taking approximately a half-acre per turbine out of service on Perrin Ranch.

WILLIAMS - The Perrin Ranch Wind Farm project located 13 miles north of Williams off Highway 64 is in its final phase of permitting.

According to NextEra Public Information Officer Steve Stengel, preliminary earthwork has begun on site at the Perrin Ranch Wind Project.

"We are focused primarily at this point on road work," Stengel said. "That work is occurring on both the private and state land."

Blattner Energy, Inc., the project's general contractor, has set up an office in Williams. Stengel said while NextEra does not yet have its final permit from the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD), the energy company does have the necessary permission to commence with the roadwork.

"We are hopeful that we will have the final permit by the later part of September," Stengel said. "As with any project like this, there is always a lot of i's to dot and t's to cross and we're working through some of those issues but in terms of the permits that we need for construction purposes, we have all the permits we need to do the work that is occurring at the site now."

Vanessa Hickman, with the ASLD, said NextEra currently has an instrument allowing the construction of temporary roads across state trust land to access private land and are currently in the application process for a more permanent right of way. She said the department is currently going through the necessary due diligence.

"(NextEra) has to do archaeology," Hickman said. "They have to provide us with legal description. It has to go to appraisal. We have to have a value on the acquisition cost of the right of way."

Hickman said the Perrin Ranch project is currently in the appraisal phase of the permitting process. Once through the appraisal process, the project must be reviewed and approved by the ASLD Commissioner. At that point, the project goes before a board of appeals appointed by Governor Jan Brewer for approval.

"They take a look at our rights of ways, our proposed sales and long term leases," Hickman said, adding that NextEra is only involved in the right of way process. If approved, NextEra will likely be granted a 50-year right of way.

According to Hickman, 50 percent of the Perrin Ranch project will be built on state land. She estimated the right of way permitting process will likely wrap up by the end of September.

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) has already signed off on the project. Rebecca Wilder, ACC public information officer, said the agency granted NextEra its Certificate of Environmental Compatibility April 15.

Stengel said NextEra plans to complete the project sometime in 2012.

The project will include 62 wind turbines in all. The turbines will be approximately 262 feet tall from base to the hub at the center of the blades and over 400 feet to blade tip. The turbines will be spread over 20,000 acres with each turbine taking approximately a half-acre per turbine out of service on Perrin Ranch.

A long term Power Purchase Agreement between Arizona Public Service Co. and NextEra was signed July 22.

After two days of hearings and appeals Feb. 7 and 8, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors approved plans for the development.

In a split decision, Supervisors Carl Taylor, Mandy Metzger and Lena Fowler voted to allow the project to move forward while Matt Ryan and Liz Archuleta voted against the project.

The Coconino County Planning and Zoning Commission previously approved the project with a unanimous vote Dec. 17.

City of Williams water sales

The city of Williams has contracted with Blattner Energy, the project's general contractor, to sell reclaimed city water for use at the project site.

City of Williams Interim City Manager Joe Duffy said Blattner Energy has agreed to purchase water at $12 per 1,000 gallons. The money received will be used to improve city streets.

"All the money will be used to overlay roads or work on the streets," Duffy said. "We're going to use it to supplement our street budget this year."

Duffy added the sale of water will likely continue for up to six months at around 200,000 gallons per day for a total return of approximately $300,000.

"Once those checks start flowing, we'll start putting pavement down on the ground," Duffy said.


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