2.21.10 Planned turbine project gets $10 million federal grant

During a visit to the Gamesa Wind USA plant in Ebensburg, Gov. Edward Rendell announced $22.8 million in grants through the stimulus program that will not only put people to work at Gamesa, but also will create another 257 jobs at three large-scale wind farms.

Among the grants is a $10 million allocation to Iberdrola Renewables’ South Chestnut wind project to install 23 two-megawatt turbines in Fayette County that will create 129 jobs. The project will use Gamesa turbines.

Gamesa, which had to lay off 79 employees in November after new orders fell, will be able to bring back those workers and hire an additional 50 employees, Rendell said.

The Fayette County South Chestnut wind project planned by Iberdrola Renewables of Portland, Ore., formerly PPM Atlantic, has been in the works for years, but was delayed following denials of special exceptions and variance requests by the Fayette County Zoning Hearing board and subsequent court appeals.

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