Judith Gap wind turbines go online

When Billings residents plugged in their Christmas lights this year, there’s a chance the glow was compliments of a steady breeze through Judith Gap. In late November, the first of Invenergy’s turbines at the Judith Gap Wind Energy Center started fueling the grid with wind power.

As of this week, 50 more turbines have come online and by the end of January, the company hopes to have all 90 up and running.

Now the flurry of crews that dug trenches, poured concrete and "flew" rotors to the tower tops earlier this year has been replaced with reclaimed roadsides, a handful of technicians and 90 giant turbines visible from more than 25 miles away.

John Bacon, onsite manager for Invenergy, the Chicago-based company that owns the wind farm, checked his computer Thursday morning to determine how much energy the wind farm was producing. The wind, gusting furiously only 50 miles away in Big Timber, was barely breezing through the gap at 10 mph – well below the optimal 20 mph.

By LINDA HALSTEAD-ACHARYA
Of The Gazette Staff

Full Story: http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/12/31/build/state/25-wind-farm.inc