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The Laurel Hill Wind Energy Project is a Duke Energy Corporation initiative, located along Laurel Hill Ridge in Jackson and McIntyre Townships in northern Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. Upon completion, the facility will consist of thirty individual wind turbines within a seven-mile long lease corridor. Altogether, the turbines will produce 69 megawatts of electricity.
Larson Design Group handled the land development design for the project, including boundary and topographic survey, Geographic Information System (GIS) base mapping, zoning application preparation, construction observation, erosion control plans, post-construction stormwater management plans, water/wastewater design, permitting, site re-vegetation plans, and alignment studies. LDG is also assisting Duke Energy with full-time construction management tasks.
The turbines are impressive structures. Manufactured by Siemens, they measure 424 feet tall at their highest point and run at any wind speed between approximately 8 and 55 miles per hour. A new two-mile long, 34.5-kilovolt overhead electric transmission line will convey electricity from the turbine corridor to a new switchyard and substation, which was designed and is being constructed in accordance with PenElec’s specifications. The switchyard will be turned over to PenElec for operation and maintenance after project completion. The turbine blades, which are 163 feet long, are fitted with serrated edging to aid in noise reduction. Each rotor blade automatically pivots in its socket to ensure it will catch maximum wind power from any direction.
The wind farm is expected to be completed in October of 2012. The electricity they will produce has been sold to Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation, which serves over 100,000 residents and businesses.
