Wind Repowering Part 2
Like any industrial equipment, the FIW turbines are starting to show their age, with more frequent breakdowns and increased maintenance costs. That is why we’re looking at future options now.
The FIW board is evaluating the most cost-effective options for the FIEC membership to consider. These include repowering the turbines versus decommissioning and going back to buying all of our power from the mainland.
One repowering approach involves replacing and upgrading just the generator components and rotor blades with modern, more efficient, and quieter models, which could boost power generation by 30%.
This approach, called “partial repowering,” retains our initial investment in the foundations, towers, roads, and electrical systems and would increase reliability, extend the life of the project for another 20-25 years, and help us meet projected power demands in the future.
The timeline for a partial repowering is in the range of 3 to 4 years, and will likely require fewer steps than we had with the initial wind project.
A set of required pre-construction studies and permitting will need to follow state and federal agency requirements that have been put in place over the past 15 years.
We’ll need to have the existing foundations inspected and evaluated to make sure they can accommodate the turbine component upgrades.
And we’ll do appropriate sound studies, modeling, and sound monitoring to make sure the repowered turbines will meet state noise requirements.
Construction would utilize a crane to disassemble and lower the old rotor, hoist and install a new gearbox and generator components, and raise and install the new rotor with blades.
Turbine components and old turbine blades will be cut up and hauled off-island for recycling.
Overall costs and financing options are still under evaluation, but the FIW and FIEC boards believe that the most sensible approach will require a combination of federal grants and subsidized low-interest loans. The overarching goal is to ensure predictable energy costs, retain as much control as possible over our power supply, and produce reliable, affordable power for our island communities.
A May 20, 2024, community meeting discussed a range of wind power options, and a video from that meeting is available online at: https://www.foxislandswind.com/videos.