Replacement Process for Colorado Green Turbines to Begin

Colorado Green Holdings, LLC received permission from the Prowers County Planning and Zoning Commission for an amended Special Use Permit on Wednesday, December 11^th. The permit will allow the company to reduce the number of turbines from 108 to 100 over the next several months and was granted following a public hearing.

Avanagrid Renewables representatives, Kristen Goland, Leif Bang and David Kurr met with commission members several months ago with the request, explaining that the wind farm, erected south of Lamar off Highway 287 in 2003, plans to fit several of the turbines with longer blades and upgraded components. Goland explained, “This will improve efficiency for overall power output, but we’re regulated to produce only so much electricity onto the grid. We’re removing eight turbines and improving others which will keep the power production at the same level it’s always been.” The newer blades will be 147 feet in length, just under 20 feet longer than the current ones. The representatives said the blades will be cut into shorter lengths and then shipped to Commerce City for disposal.

“We hope to get started as soon as possible,” she explained, adding that a delayed CDOT permit has cost the company several million dollars. On the matter of money, David Kurr and Leif Bang told the commission members that the project, based on the number of available cranes, could take from three to six months, depending on the weather and from 100 to 200 persons could be employed.

The commission set January 15, 2020 as the date for a public hearing on a request for an amended Special Use Permit by Syracuse Dairy-Holly to construct and operate a beef cattle facility within the existing boundaries of the Holly location.

Dairy Representative, Frank Mercurio, explained the operators plan to add 20,000 head of beef on 100 acres of the 610-acre complex located south of Holly. He said the dairy currently has 14,500 heifers on site with 8,000 head of dairy cattle, 5,600 of which are now being milked. “We expect the dairy construction to be completed by the end of January and we calculate that the beef herd will call for about seven or eight new employees,” he said. Mercurio added that the construction for the beef operation should be finalized by the end of June, building onto the operation as they go.

In other news, the Planning and Zoning Commission learned the County Commissioners have authorized $25,000 in the 2020 budget to help defray expenses for the rehabilitation of area storage yards. Michelle Hiigel, Land Use Administrator, explained the funds will be used as a grant to those owners who decide to erect a fence around their business operations where it runs adjacent to a highway leading into and out of Prowers County.

Two commission members, David Emick and Richard Wagner, have terms which are expiring and may submit an application for consideration by the county commissioners to be re-appointed to the board. Other members include Clifford Boxley, Chad Hart and Jim Larrick. The members decided to maintain their current meeting schedule, the second Wednesday of each month at 8am at the County Annex, into 2020.

The next meeting will be Wednesday, January 15^th.

By Russ Baldwin