Alaska’s largest wind project dedicated Wednesday

Yesterday, August 29, more than 75 guests gathered on site for the dedication ceremony of the Eva Creek Wind project located near Healy, Alaska.

Gene Therriault, deputy director for statewide energy policy development for the Alaska Energy Authority and Karen Lidster, legislative aide for Senator Coghill, exit the tower of a wind turbine on the Eva Creek Wind tour. It was a windy day!

Bill Nordmark, GVEA Board Chairman, began the ceremony by welcoming everyone, “This was truly an international project and it’s nice to see so many of the companies involved represented here today.” Other speakers included Greg Wyman, GVEA Eva Creek project manager, Cory Borgeson, GVEA interim president & CEO, Steve Dayney, CEO of REpower USA and Pat Herzog, general manager of Michels Wind Energy. The project’s remote location and the dedication of 130+ workers were common themes among the speakers.

“When my staff first presented this project to me and said it was in Alaska, I said, What, where?” joked Steve Dayney. “The people working on this project day in and day out have given up a lot to be here,” said Pat Herzog. “They don’t get to go home on the weekends.”

At just under 25-megawatts, this 12 turbine project will be the largest in the state. It is expected to come online at the end of October 2012.

For more photos of the ceremony, visit GVEA’s website.