Who We Are
Kingdom Community Wind is being proposed, supported and developed locally, maximizing Vermont labor resources, technical expertise and funding where possible. Green Mountain Power (GMP) and Vermont Electric Co-op (VEC) are very interested in securing a reliable, long-term electrical supply to help bring price stability to their customers and members. The utilities are evaluating the benefits of partnering in this local Vermont renewable generation project to provide long-term, stably-priced power to customers of both utilities. This community wind project – with a focus on Vermont control, participation, jobs, and sharing of the benefits -- is unusual among wind projects proposed in Vermont over the last several years.
Green Mountain Power, which provides electricity to about one-quarter of Vermont's population, has been recognized as an environmental leader in Vermont. The Company demonstrates its commitment to environmental strength in many ways, from its low-emission power portfolio to its innovative work on reducing carbon in its fleet to encouraging solar development with SolarGMP. Green Mountain Power has experience with wind generation, as it owns and operates a six-megawatt wind plant in Searsburg, which was the largest wind facility east of the Mississippi when it was built in 1997. For more information, contact Dottie Schnure.
Kingdom Community Wind fits well into Green Mountain Power's vision for an energy future that provides customers with power that has low carbon emissions, low cost and high reliability.
Mary Powell, president and CEO of Green Mountain Power, said,
"We are interested in exploring the potential of building this project
because we know our customers want energy that is low cost,
low in carbon emissions and reliable. Developing the project with
Vermont owners would help to assure price stability
for generations of Vermonters."
"VEC is very focused on our energy sources for the future," said Dave Hallquist, CEO. "We know that our members want low emissions, low carbon footprint, and local generation. VEC is investigating Kingdom Community Wind because we feel it fits the criteria and meets our goals, although we also acknowledge members' concerns for aesthetics," added Hallquist.
Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) has a rich 70 years of rural electrification history where this member owned not-for-profit utility continues to grow with the communities it serves.
In 1936, Congress passed the Rural Electrification Act which provided federal funding for installation of electrical distribution systems to serve rural areas of the United States not being served by municipals or investor owned utilities. REA financing enabled most of VEC's growth in the early years.
VEC was founded and first managed by Harry Bowman in 1938. Initially the Co-op office was located in Eden Mills, Vermont, to serve residents in parts of rural Lamoille County who had been bypassed by investor owned utilities. At its origin, Vermont Electric Cooperative built lines to 155 homes in Eden and Lowell (electricity first came to Lowell in 1939). Soon neighboring farms, homes, and businesses were added. Since that time VEC's service territory has continued to expand in Northern Vermont through the construction of new lines and the acquisition of small private companies, so that it currently serves over 34,000 commercial and residential members.