Wind Farm expansion to begin Wednesday

MANDEVILLE, Manchester:

James Robertson, minister of energy and mining, will, on Wednesday, break ground for the US$49-million Wigton Wind Farm expansion project in Manchester.

The project will include the installation of nine new two-megawatt wind turbines that will generate 18 megawatts of power, increasing the total amount of energy produced by Wigton to 38.7 megawatts. The power will be sold to the Jamaica Public Service for domestic use.

US$2.3 million savings

In addition, plant-operating facilities will be improved and a resource room for educational and technical information exchange established.

The expansion will mean approximately 55 gigawatt hours of energy, enough to power about 24,000 homes. It will also result in savings of about 32,400 barrels of oil valued at US$2.3 million, and in so doing, prevent 45,954 tonnes of carbon emissions.

- JIS