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Hopkinton supervisor: 600-foot wind turbines ‘not an option’

Posted 5/26/18

By MATT LINDSEY HOPKINTON -- Hopkinton Town Supervisor Sue Wood does not see 600-foot wind turbines as a possibility for her town. “My personal opinion is that 600 foot towers are not an option,” …

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Hopkinton supervisor: 600-foot wind turbines ‘not an option’

Posted

By MATT LINDSEY

HOPKINTON -- Hopkinton Town Supervisor Sue Wood does not see 600-foot wind turbines as a possibility for her town.

“My personal opinion is that 600 foot towers are not an option,” she said.

“I can't even imagine what Avangrid is thinking - considering that the majority of people are against 500 foot towers.

Lawyers from the wind farm company last month requested that Hopkinton town officials allow the turbine tip height to increase from 500 feet to 600 feet.

Robert A. Panasci, a lawyer for Avangrid, emailed town officials asking to discuss changing the allowable height of wind towers to increase from 500 to 600 feet in height at the highest point of the blade.

“In the interest of full disclosure, to accommodate the evolving technology expected to be in the market in the next few years, and guard against the phase-out of wind turbine models, we respectfully request the maximum allowable turbine tip height be increased to 600 feet,” Panasci said in the email.

The local law currently limits the blade tip height of turbines to 500 feet.

“The law would need to be adjusted as the current law does state a maximum of 500 feet,” she said. “I also can't imagine that 600' would be quieter than the 500' or even 350' towers.

Avangrid plans to build 27 turbines in Hopkinton and says it would bring about $30 million to the town.