Salem News: Wind turbine proposal generates growing interest in Ipswich

Published: March 19, 2008
Source: Salem News
By Steve Landwehr


IPSWICH — It's a rare selectmen's meeting that attracts an audience of more than a few people. When one does, the folks are usually there to gripe about something.

So it's notable that a score of people showed up for Monday's presentation on another proposal to build a wind turbine generator on Town Farm Road. It was essentially a reprise of the introduction to the project the School Committee took in early this month.

Utilities Director Tim Henry and Electric Light Subcommittee member Jim Engel weren't there to ask for anything more than a consensus that the board favored further exploration, which they got.

The generator would be built and operated by the Light Department, which would also provide most of the money. However, the School Department has the opportunity to obtain an interest-free, $1.6 million bond that would make the project more affordable for the Light Department.

Engel characterized the schools as investors in the project whose payback would be in the form of lower electric bills. The Light Department would benefit by selling excess electrical capacity to the grid.

Like the School Committee, the selectmen expressed their support and got a round of applause from the audience for their effort.