Icebreaker Hits a Snag

The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) has found the application submitted by the Icebreaker Windpower Inc. for a certificate to construct the 20.7MW Icebreaker offshore wind farm in Lake Erie not to be in compliance with certain chapters of the Ohio Administrative Code.

OPSB ruled that the application in its current form is incomplete and does not provide the Board with sufficient information to start the review procedure, Asim Z. Haque, the Chairman of OPSB, said in a letter to Lorry Wagner, President of Icebreaker Windpower.

In the application, Icebreaker Windpower refers to two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) which are currently being developed with relevant resource agencies, the letter said.

The MoUs are investigating the project’s impact on fisheries and other aquatic resources, as well as the impact on local populations of birds and bats.

OPSB said it will review the application again once the applicant submits the copies of two MoUs in question, signed at least by the applicant and the Ohio Department of Natural resources.

If the application is found to be in compliance, Icebreaker Windpower will receive instructions on serving the completed application, according to the letter.

Icebreaker Windpower is proposing to construct a wind farm in Lake Erie, which would consist of six MHI Vestas V126-3.45 MW wind turbine generators installed on mono bucket foundations some 8-10 miles off the Cleveland coastline, along with submerged electric collection cables, and a facility substation.

The energy generated at the wind farm will deliver power to a single point of interconnection on the existing Cleveland Public Power (CPP) electric grid – 138 kilovolt (kV) Lake Road Substation.

Construction is anticipated to begin in May 2018 and be completed by October 2018. The wind farm is expected to be commissioned by November 2018.

The original developer of the Icebreaker Wind project was the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo). In 2016, LEEDCo partnered with Fred. Olsen Renewables (FOR) of Norway. FOR has established FORUSA and Icebreaker Windpower to be the owner, developer, and operator of Icebreaker Wind.