Saco OKs windmill project

SACO – Wind power is coming to a wastewater treatment plant to generate electricity – and cost savings – for the city.

The City Council last week voted to spend up to $8,000 on a residential-sized turbine that’s projected to generate about 400 kilowatt hours per month. The windmill is expected to pay for itself in about 10 years.

The idea came from the council’s energy committee, which this spring visited Hull, Mass., where two wind turbines save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in electricity costs.

One purpose of the pilot program is to see whether the site beside the Saco River has enough wind flow to support a larger windmill like the one in Massachusetts. The structure will be 75 feet high with 6-foot blades; the tallest turbine in Hull is 330 feet tall.

Another purpose is to promote wind power by allowing residents to learn about the technology and get comfortable with it. Eric Cote, a councilman, said he hopes the structure will dispel the idea that windmills are noisy and pose a hazard to birds and bats.

“You’ve got to give people an opportunity to learn about the technology and become comfortable with it,” he said.

The energy committee also plans to measure wind speeds at other sites, including the city’s former landfill and the Saco Middle School, to see if they are potential sites for a turbine.