Lordstown turbines generate many savings for the village

Opinion: October 5, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

Since the installation of the wind turbines in Lordstown this spring, there has been some to-do about whether they are feasible or not. This writer, a proponent of using nature as a power source (the “green” thing), has taken much into consideration before deciding to support this venture.

As village council finance chairman, I saw cost as a big factor. The money for the turbines came to us through a grant that had specific requirements, but provided 90 percent of the $131,700 cost. Lordstown paid only 10 percent, $13,700. Another consideration on the financial plus side was that First Energy allocated $50,000 to the village for signing an electric aggregate plan with it. At that time, it was mentioned that part of this allocation could be used for the above-mentioned project. That would show NO cost for the turbines and still leave $36,830 balance from the aggregate money to add to the general fund.

The mayor reported that electrical bills that spanned mid-April through early June for both 2010 and 2011 dropped from $1,935 to $1,483. That would reflect a 23% decrease for the administration building which is serviced by the turbines. In other village buildings not serviced by the turbines, the electrical cost increased for this same period of time.

Another very important factor is that Ohio is the worst state, No. 1, for toxic air pollution from coal and oil-fired power plants, according to an analysis by the National Resources Defense Council, a private environmental action group. These polluters are putting children and families at risk by dumping deadly and dangerous poisons into the air we breathe. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is trying to update public health protections to help curb this air-pollution problem. The EPA says that toxic reductions would save as many as 17,000 lives every year by 2015. Ohio is surrounded by neighboring states that are among the top polluters:Pennsylvania, No. 2; Kentucky, No. 4; Indiana, No. 6 and Michigan, No. 7.

Let’s not forget the potential dangers from the nuclear power plants that we witnessed at the Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania, Chernobyl in Russia and another horrific tragedy this year in Japan.

A few naysayers claim Lordstown simply doesn’t have the wind, but according to a wind-speed study done locally in September 2010, we do have sufficient wind power. The National Weather Service in Cleveland said the windiest months in this area are December through March. However, 90 percent of the electric made by any turbine in Ohio will be done in September through May. We have yet to experience these months and the higher wind speeds for the turbines that could completely offset the wind speeds realized these last few months.

The naysayers also didn’t like this brand of turbine, but we had no choice. That was the turbine required by the grant. This turbine is American-made.

These turbines cost the village very little, have already saved electrical costs and in a small way have contributed to protecting our health and the environment. In my opinion, this venture taken by the supporters of the turbines was d--n well worth it. May the future prove it even more so.

Mary Jane Wilson, Lordstown