MODOC – The winds that freely whip across Randolph County soon will be harnessed to generate pollution-free electricity.
EDP Renewables North America is building the 200-megawatt Headwaters Wind Farm, which will place 100 wind turbines across southeastern Randolph County. EDP Renewables also operates Meadow Lake Wind Farm in White County and nearly 30 other wind farms across the country.
The $400 million project, which will power about 51,000 homes, is expected to be finished by the end of the year.
Randolph County farmer Tony Kritsch will have three towers on three different farms. Kritsch said he investigated the wind farms that have sprouted in Indiana counties near Lafayette before deciding to be part of the Headwaters project.
"They keep saying they are going to take away coal-fired plants. Wind energy is non-polluting," Kritsch said. "Whether it's profitable or not remains to be seen. We're on the northern end of the work, so they're working their way towards us."
Wind farms have been controversial in some rural areas, and there is opposition to them in Randolph County, said Jerry Warren, president of the Randolph Farm Bureau Inc. The noise of earlier wind turbines was an issue, but current ones make only a light hum, Kirtsch said.
"Most of the people here are enthusiastic about it, but you always have naysayers," Warren said. "It's bringing a lot of income here. We've lagged behind in economic development, and our unemployment has been high. There's money to owners for the wind, money for the size of the windmills and electric lines. It's putting money into our county. It's cool to see them going up."