Mount Storm Wind Farm
{{short description|Wind farm in West Virginia, USA}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox power station
| name = Mount Storm Wind Farm
| name_official =
| image = Mount Storm Wind Farm.jpg
| image_caption = The wind farm as seen from the highway
| image_alt =
| coordinates = {{coord|39|13|28|N|79|12|15|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref =
| country = United States
| location = Grant County, West Virginia
| status = Operational
| construction_began = 2006
| commissioned = 2008
| decommissioned =
| cost =
| owner = Castleton Commodities International
| operator =
| ps_units_operational = 132 turbines
| ps_units_manu_model = Siemens Gamesa G80-2.0 MW
| wind_hub_height =
| wind_rotor_diameter =
| wind_rated_speed =
| wind_farm_type = Onshore
| wind_site_elevation =
| wind_site_usage =
| wind_site_area =
| ps_electrical_capacity = 264 MW
| ps_electrical_cap_fac = 26.4% (average 2009-2019)
| ps_annual_generation = 613 GW·h
| website =
| extra =
}}
The Mount Storm Wind Farm is located 120 miles west of Washington, D.C. in Grant County, West Virginia. The wind farm includes 132 Gamesa G80 wind turbines each with a two megawatt (MW) capacity along 12 miles of the Allegheny Front. Construction of the wind farm began in 2006 and the project is now fully operational, generating up to 264 MW of electricity for the mid-Atlantic power grid.[http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=54272 Dominion & Shell Complete 264-MW Mount Storm Wind Project]
Nedpower Mount Storm, LLC was formed in 2007 as a joint venture between Shell and Dominion Resources,[https://archive.today/20131223181208/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=39149508], "Company Overview of Nedpower Mount Storm, LLC","Bloomberg Businessweek"{{cite web |url=https://www.dom.com/about/stations/renewable/wind-power.jsp |title=Wind Generation Projects |accessdate=2015-05-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714000522/https://www.dom.com/about/stations/renewable/wind-power.jsp |archivedate=2014-07-14 }} and was acquired by a subsidiary of Castleton Commodities International in 2019.{{Cite web |title=CCI Acquires NedPower Mt. Storm LLC {{!}} CCI |url=https://www.cci.com/press-releases/news/cci-acquires-nedpower-mt-storm-llc/ |access-date=2023-07-17 |website=www.cci.com}}
History
Plans for the farm were first announced in 2001, when the U.S. Wind Force filed for a permit with the West Virginia Public Service Commission to build a 166 turbine wind farm, which would have been the largest wind farm east of the Mississippi River. The project's backers hoped that the first turbines would be operational by late 2002 with the rest of the facility coming online in 2003, but opponents quickly raised objections, arguing that the project would threaten birds and diminish home values in the surrounding area.{{cite news|title = Grant Wind Farm Will be Largest in East|first = Paul | last = Nyden | work = The Charleston Gazette | date = December 28, 2001 | page = 1C}}
In May 2002, the Public Service Commission approved the U.S. Wind Force's permit application without any significant opposition. The company also reached an agreement with the AFL-CIO to use union labor in the construction of the facility. At the hearings for the permit, speakers in favor of the project included Walt Helmick, a member of the West Virginia Senate, Jeff Barger, the County Commissioner of Grant County, and Steve White a union leader. A study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concluded that the project posed little danger to local birds, clearing the way for construction.{{cite news|title = Grant wind farm developers reach agreement with union | work = The Charleston Gazette | first = Rick | last = Steelhammer | date = May 30, 2002 | page = 5A}}
In August 2019, Castleton Commodities International announced that it had purchased Nedpower Mount Storm through one of its subsidiaries.
Electricity production
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center; font-size:0.9em; width:450px;"
|+Mount Storm Wind Electricity Generation (MW·h){{cite web |url=https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/plant/56495/?freq=M&pin= |title=Mount Storm Wind, Annual |work=Electricity Data Browser |publisher=Energy Information Administration |accessdate=April 19, 2019}} | |
| Year | Total Annual MW·h |
|---|---|
| 2008
| 222,471 | |
| 2009
| 579,436 | |
| 2010
| 702,979 | |
| 2011
| 654,187 | |
| 2012
| 587,120 | |
| 2013
| 600,277 | |
| 2014
| 604,750 | |
| 2015
| 618,493 | |
| 2016
| 633,024 | |
| 2017
| 566,611 | |
| 2018
| 611,330 | |
| 2019
| 579,690 | |
| Average (2009-2019) | 612,536 |
Turbine Losses (to fire)
- (January 16, 2008){{Cite web|last=Watch|first=National Wind|title=Mt. Storm turbine catches fire|url=https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/01/17/mt-storm-turbine-catches-fire/|access-date=2020-07-11|website=National Wind Watch|language=en}}
- (January 7, 2015){{Cite web|last=Watch|first=National Wind|title=Wind turbine catches fire in Mount Storm|url=https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/01/08/wind-turbine-catches-fire-in-mount-storm/|access-date=2020-07-11|website=National Wind Watch|language=en}}
- (2018 *requires date verification and siting)
See also
{{stack|{{Portal|Weather|Renewable energy}}}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTrKAgmMhnw Drone Video Footage of Mount Storm Wind Farm]
{{Wind power in the United States}}
Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 2008
Category:Buildings and structures in Grant County, West Virginia
Category:Wind farms in West Virginia
{{wind-farm-stub}}