JILL SCHRAMM/MDN Doug Bradford, left, project manager with Basin Electric Power Cooperative, speaks at a Ward County Planning Commission hearing on Basin Electric’s request for a conditional use permit for wind turbine repowering Thursday, May 21.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s plan to repower its PrairieWinds wind project south of Minot drew questions and concerns from area residents at a Ward County Planning Commission hearing on Thursday, May 21. Basin Electric is seeking a conditional use permit from the county.

The repowering project, which still needs North Dakota Public Service Commission and Federal Aviation Administration approval, will modify the 80 existing wind turbines with new, longer blade sets, hubs, main shafts, main bearing assembly, gearbox and a generator refurbishment. The existing towers and foundations remain in place. The wind farm was built in 2009.

“Existing turbine components are beginning to reach their end of life, and repowering the turbines extends that life through 2046. This provides a reliable, affordable power to our member owners,” said Doug Bradford, project manager with Basin Electric.

He said the project will increase the maximum power output capacity of each turbine from 1.5 to 1.6 megawatts, generating more efficient power for increased megawatts at lower wind speeds. At a wind speed of 20 mph, the repowered turbines will generate 40% more electricity, he said.

Problems with roads already have arisen related to construction preparation, prompting the county to place requirements on the use of certain roads.

Bradford apologized to the commission and residents affected by the preliminary work with the materials laydown yard in Rushville Township. He said the project will comply with a new conditional agreement with the county to limit hauling to a two-mile stretch on County Road 22 east of U.S. Highway 83 and about a 1,000-foot stretch on 27th Street.

“We’ve also directed our contractor to repair any damaged roads during the process and minimize any traffic obstructions,” he said.

Ward County Highway Engineer Dana Larsen said the conditional agreement was just signed May 21.

“Unfortunately, they started working before they even had that agreement in place, and I expressed my extreme frustration with that scenario,” Larsen said. They incorrectly thought if they stayed within legal loads, they were fine to begin hauling materials without a haul road agreement, he said.

Ward County Commission Chairman and planning commission member John Fjeldahl said he learned about the road deterioration occurring with Basin Electric’s hauling, which prompted the county commission to discuss the issue at its meeting Tuesday, May 19.

“Dana took it upon himself to make sure there’s a good understanding here between the neighborhood and Basin Electric – that this doesn’t happen again. It’s disappointing that it happened prior to even getting a permit,” Fjeldahl said.

Larsen explained the agreement the county has with Basin Electric requires dust control as well as maintenance on sections of County Road 22 and on 27th Street. He said the county doesn’t know the volume of materials to be hauled on other Ward County roads so those maintenance agreements aren’t in place yet.

Resident Loren Delzer questioned how the agreement would be enforced.

“They’ve got to be accountable,” he said. “How do we know that they’re going to do it?”

Larsen said county staff will be checking on the project a few times a week.

“There’s a $1 million bond that would be required as part of that to ensure that work not only happens during that project but when we’re all done, those roads are restored back to as good or better condition,” Larsen said.

The agreement would apply to roads in Ward County and Rushville Township, which is unorganized and under county governance. Gasman Township has asked the county for assistance and could sign on to that agreement as well, Larsen said.

Newman, Iota Flat and Willis townships also are part of the project area. None of the townships opposed the conditional use permit, although Iota Flat submitted a comment about its concern that roads be maintained.

Residents mentioned existing issues with road dust, but there also were some residents who weren’t happy with the wind towers in general, citing noise and shadowing, in particular.

Bradford responded the PSC requires a waiver for turbine noise exceeding 45 decibels at a property line. He said the maximum increase with the repowering is 3 decibels, which is calculated at the turbine’s maximum speed.

Bradford said Basin Electric has a variance for select site work activity while the PSC continues to review the project. The PSC has indicated a possible delay, so Basin Electric wants to add language in the county conditional use permit to allow additional space for holding materials pending a PSC decision, he said.

Regarding the FAA, Basin Electric’ request has gone through 10 of 11 department reviews. Only the U.S. Air Force remains, Bradford said. Minot Air Force Base presented information that it has passed along that it has no objection.

“It’s been communicated to Basin that there’s been a slowdown in process reviews for all wind projects, and we’re pursuing all avenues to get that FAA review completed,” Bradford said.

Actual construction is expected to take three to four months, he said.

The planning commission voted to table the conditional use permit request until hearing more from the PSC and FAA.