WESTOVER, Md.- Pioneer Green Energy says it will not proceed with a multi-million dollar wind turbine project in Somerset County.
The Texas-based company on Friday sent a letter to the Somerset County Commissioners notifying them of the "indefinite suspension" of its Great Bay Wind project, which had been under development for nearly five years. Pioneer Green Engineer had planned to bring 25 wind turbines - each 599 feet high - to Westover. Adam Cohen, Pioneer Green's vice president, said in the letter that while the company has persevered through many obstacles, some have proven more difficult.
According to Cohen, one of the most substantial obstacles occurred in August of 2014, when U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski added language to an unrelated piece of federal legislation that placed the entire Great Bay Wind investment and business into a state of uncertainty.
"After careful review and discussion with stakeholders, it is apparent that we are no longer able to proceed with our investment in any way in the near term," Cohen wrote. "We are forced to thus place the project in indefinite suspension and as such we will not be requesting a permit for construction of the Great Bay Wind project in Somerset County at the current time or in the foreseeable future.
Cohen said that in the coming weeks, an affiliate of his company, Pioneer Green Solar, will present plans to the commissioners for an unrelated solar project.
"We are hopeful that their effort at bringing investment dollars, jobs, and tax base to Somerset County will succeed where our efforts have failed and wish you the best of luck in hopefully seeing the benefit of such investment in the near future and for years to come," Cohen wrote.
To read Pioneer Green Energy's letter in its entirety, click here.
