CLINTON — Tom Swierczewski, development director for Tradewind Energy, developer of the Alta Farms II wind project, spoke to Clinton Rotary members on Tuesday, telling them he hopes a portion of the turbines will be purchased from Trinity Towers in Clinton. 

“We’re a long way away from any kind of contract,” said Swierczewski, “but it’s my hope, personally, that we are using Clinton-made towers for at least a part of this project.”

In addition, Swierczewski told the group there is new technology being considered for the Alta Farms project that includes radar equipment around the perimeter so the red lights atop the turbines only come on when aircraft is detected. 

“My hope is that we use that on this project,” he said, “but there is so much detail to get that system online that we’re months away from having a serious conversation about that.”

Tradewind Energy started leasing DeWitt County farmland in 2008 for its Alta Farms II wind project. Currently, Swierczewski said, they lease about 24,000 acres from almost 200 landowners just north of Clinton up to the McLean County line and west to Logan County. 

The project will have 80 to 140 turbines which is similar is size to the Macon County project, Swierczewski said. Tradewind Energy is not affiliated with the Macon County project. 

Swierczewski said Tradewind Energy hopes to have approval for the project by the end of 2018 or early 2019 and start construction by spring of 2019 and be completed by the end of 2020.

The economic impact of the project, he said, includes more than $2.5 million to landowners to date and by the time construction is completed, another $1.5 million is expected to be paid in rent.

“So $4 million into the landowners’ pockets for their partnership in our project before we even turn a shovel,” he said.

The project will most likely be built in two phases, bringing 300 temporary construction jobs, which Swierczewski said is a “big part of the economic development benefit of these projects.” 

During operation, the project will employ 15-20 people.

Swierczewski estimates the county will receive $2.5 to $4.5 million in tax revenue over the first 20 years with roughly two-thirds of that amount going to the school districts.

The land is approximately 90 percent in the Clinton school district, he said, with the remainder in the Olympia district. The Clinton school district portion, Swierczewski estimated, will be “between $1.5 million and $2.25 million” per year.