In an WIVB news article in "National Wind Watch - Presenting the Facts About Industrial Wind Power" (March 1, 2011), the question was asked:
why aren't Lackawanna windmills turning?
The reporter reminded us that this isn't the first time the windmills weren't turning - the first year of operation all the gear boxes had to be replaced - the second year the blades had to be fixed - and throughout this past winter only half of the windmills have been working at any given time.
The bottom line: even though the steelwinds aren't generating the amount of power they advertised they would, Mayor Polanski says, "We still get our money, our $100,000 per year."
At the going rate for electricity, Steelwinds is still making over $2 million a year for the electricity it is generating. On top of that, its investors get an extra two cents a kilowatt for going green. So the investors that helped pay a million bucks to build each one of these turbines get $800,000 every year in federal tax credits.
P.S. The six steelmills planned for construction has been postponed until "next December" due to delays beyond Erie Wind's control.