Following the resumption of a public hearing Wednesday morning, the Antelope County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a conditional use permit for a fourth wind farm in Antelope County.
On a five-to-two vote (commission members Bob Krutz and Phyllis Perdew voting ‘no’ and Dan Zwingman along with Ron Rice not allowed to vote due to a conflict of interest), the commission approved recommending to the Antelope County Board of Supervisors that they approve the permit being sought by Invenergy, L.L.C. to allow for construction of Upstream Wind Energy to be based in the north part of Antelope County as well as a portion of Pierce County.
The next step in the process for Upstream Wind Energy will be a public hearing before the county supervisors now scheduled for Tuesday, April 5. If the supervisors approve the permit application, then it will advance to Lincoln to the Nebraska Power Review Board for final approval. If the power board approves the permit application, construction can begin on the wind farm.
Originally calling for 168 towers to be constructed as part of the wind farm, the proposal was reduced to 160 because of eight being determined to be inside a 10-mile instrument approach to the airport in Neligh.
