Lowell Wind Proposal Faces Town Vote

Residents of the northern Vermont town of Lowell will soon decide whether to endorse what would become the state's largest wind energy project to date.

Green Mountain Power wants to build 18 to 24 turbines along three miles of scenic ridgeline at the edge of the Northeast Kingdom. The $150 million project would provide up to 9 percent of its energy supply at a predictable cost.

The Burlington Free Press says the stakes will be high when Lowell's voters decide on Town Meeting Day where they stand on the project.

For the town, one of Vermont's poorest, the Lowell Mountain project would mean a $400,000 to $535,000 yearly payment from Green Mountain Power. For the utility, it would be a powerful response to legislative pressure for more renewable electricity in utilities' portfolios.