Landmark Turkey Hill wind turbines to be torn down
Landmark Turkey Hill wind turbines to be torn down
Watch Susquehanna River ice at Wrightsville and Long Level
See the ice at Wrightsville and Long Level in York County as it slowly creeps downstream on the Susquehanna River.
Paul Kuehnel, York Daily Record
- Twin wind turbines in Lancaster County along the Susquehanna River have stopped working due to premature failure.
- The turbines, which once supplied a quarter of Turkey Hill Dairy’s electricity, will be decommissioned.
- The windmills are scheduled to be torn down sometime in 2027.
Since 2011, the twin wind turbines perched atop what’s commonly known as Turkey Hill in southwestern Lancaster County have served as landmarks along the Susquehanna River, looming above the river’s eastern bank at Lake Clarke.
For some time, keen observers may have noticed that the windmills were still. The windmills, depending on one’s point of view, were either a landmark and symbol of the promise of renewable energy or an eyesore that ruined the vista along the southern Susquehanna River below Long Level.
The reason was simple.
The turbines, which were expected to last until 2030, suffered what Turkey Hill described as a “premature failure.” The operator of the windmill, a national renewable energy company, determined that repairs to the turbines were not “economically viable” and recommended decommissioning the windmills.
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The windmills are expected to be torn down sometime in 2027.
When running at full capacity, the windmills generated 3.2 megawatts of electricity, enough to provide a quarter of Turkey Hill Dairy’s needs.
The windmills are on the site of the former Frey Farm, just south of Washington Boro. The property, formerly a landfill, is owned by the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority.
“We’re proud of the role the Turkey Hill wind turbines have played in supporting renewable energy efforts in our community over the past 15 years,” said Turkey Hill CEO Andy Jacobs, in a written statement. “While the turbines are reaching the end of their operational life sooner than expected, our broader commitment to sustainability and responsible operations remains unchanged.”
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