Developer suspends $100M Cumberland County wind turbine project (‘Welcome news,’ says Alexander)

Apex Clean Energy Inc. has suspended plans for developing a controversial wind turbine project in eastern Cumberland County, reports the Crossville Chronicle. The move comes three months after the legislature declared a moratorium until July, 2018 on such projects while a study committee meets to consider drafting state regulations for electricity-generating wind turbines. has been suspended by the developer.

“Based on current market conditions and the project’s fundamental qualities, we have decided not to make this significant investment at this time,” Harry Snyder, development manager, wrote. “Our work on the Crab Orchard Wind project will be therefore suspended until market conditions change to make the project more competitive.”

The estimated $100 million project was first announced in January 2016. The Charlottesville, VA-based energy company had proposed to build 20 to 23 wind turbines to produce 71 megawatts of power annually.

Snyder said Apex continues to evaluate prospective projects throughout the development phase.

“There are several important inflection points at which we determine whether the fundamental attributes of the project support a continuing investment in that project,” Snyder wrote. “We have come to such an inflection point on the Crab Orchard Wind project.”

The Tennessee General Assembly approved a 15-month moratorium on industrial wind farm projects in the state to allow time for a special committee to study possible regulations for wind energy construction projects.

Note: U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander has been a big critic of the project. (Most recent previous post HERE). He issued this statement after Apex’s announcement:

“Apex’s decision to suspend a proposed project in Cumberland County is welcome news for Tennesseans who opposed littering the landscape with giant wind turbines over two times as tall as the skyboxes at the University of Tennessee’s football stadium. And the turbines are unnecessary for Tennesseans because TVA has said it doesn’t need new power for the foreseeable future.”