KCW Job Information
Community Energy - Kingdom Community Wind (KCW), a renewable energy wind project being constructed in Lowell, Vermont, was recently awarded a certificate of public good by the Vermont Public Service Board. Green Mountain Power Corporation (GMP) and Vermont Electric Co-op (VEC), working with area residents and landowners, are developing this clean, in-state renewable generation resource to serve our customers and neighbors. The wind farm being constructed in Lowell, holds the potential to meet the annual electrical needs of more than 20,000 average households, that’s about 50,000 Vermonters! By harnessing the power of the wind locally, KCW will keep more of our electric dollars local and will contribute to stabilizing electric prices for generations to come. It will also help reduce the need to import power and reduce pollution in our wider community.
Wind Resource - Strong, persistent prevailing west-northwest winds, which blow perpendicular to the ridgeline, make the Lowell Mountain range a particularly good location for converting wind energy into electrical energy. The proposal is to build 20 to 21 wind turbines, up to 63 megawatt capacity.
Location - Kingdom Community Wind will be built along a 3-mile portion of the Lowell Mountain range in the southwest corner of the Northeast Kingdom community of Lowell, in Orleans County, Vermont. Farming and logging have long roots in Lowell and the property on which KCW is proposed has been a working timber farm for generations.
Transmission - Existing transmission lines along both Route 58, to the east and west of Lowell, and Route 100 to the north, will facilitate transmission of the power to Vermont utilities. It is anticipated that KCW will connect to these lines using an existing substation owned by Vermont Electric Co-Op (VEC) located near the intersection of Routes 58 and 100 in Lowell village. This close proximity of existing infrastructure minimizes the ecological and visual impact of building additional transmission lines.
Community Contributions - In addition to being environmentally responsible and helping to meet Vermont's growing energy needs, KCW will contribute to growing the local economy. Already employing Vermonters to conduct environmental and economic assessments, KCW will generate local construction, operations and maintenance jobs in the future. Kingdom Community Wind will represent a significant local capital investment. A substantial portion of the construction costs will be dispersed through many facets of the local economy for labor, services, and construction materials. In addition to generating carbon free electricity and helping stabilize electrical prices for generations of Vermonters, KCW will send hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to Vermont’s education fund and to Lowell’s community budget. Substantially reduced property taxes will be enjoyed by Lowell taxpayers since KCW would have minimal if any additional demand on town services such as schools, and assuming town spending stays consistent with the recent previous years. The project will also support a Good Neighbor Fund for the surrounding communities to ensure its benefits are felt throughout Orleans County and the region. KCW will keep more of our local dollars local!
Access - KCW is conveniently located near existing roads and highways. State Route 100 parallels the Lowell Mountain range to the west through the town of Lowell, and State Route 14 parallels the mountain range to the east through the town of Albany. To the north, State Route 58 climbs up over the mountain range, connecting the east and west sides of the ridge.
Learn More - In May 2010 Kingdom Community Wind filed for a Vermont Public Service Board Certificate of Public Good. Materials from this process are available on this website under "About Our Project" and at the town offices in Lowell.
Please take a few moments to learn more about KCW, the benefits of wind power, and how you can participate and show your support of Kingdom Community Wind - Clean Energy by Vermonters for Vermonters!!!
