The Pike County Board has recently hired an engineering firm to oversee a wind project going up west of Pittsfield.
The Pike Press reports that Patrick Engineering has been hired to oversee the Panther Creek Wind Farm. The wind farm is being erected 2.5 miles northwest of Pittsfield, just off of Illinois Route 106. The cost of the engineering firm’s work will be paid for by the Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation, who acquired the wind farm in September 2022.
The 54 megawatt project, will be Greenbacker’s largest clean energy asset in Illinois, according to the company’s purchase announcement. The company bought the wind farm from PowerWorks.
According to the Pike Press report, the Pike County Board has prior history with the engineering firm on various projects in the recent past. Pike County Board Chair Andy Borrowman told the Pike Press he believes that by hiring the firm, they will protect the county’s best interests, especially when it comes to the road use agreement. Borrowman said that Greenbacker hopes to start the project in March after preparing the county’s roads to handle the incoming construction traffic. Borrowman says he believes the company is trying to cut corners and won’t agree to some of the county’s requirements.
The project is expected to be 16 turbines. Greenbacker’s website says they hope to be in commercial operation sometime in 2024.