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Avista Puts Wind Farm on Hold by Associated Press Capital Press, December 4, 2008

SPOKANE - Avista Corp. plans to delay building a wind farm by at least two years, citing the high cost of the windmill-like turbines.

The $125 million wind farm, on a ridge five miles south of Reardan, is now planned to begin operating at the end of 2013. It will be part of the first wind-generation project built by the Spokane-based utility.

For now, there are cheaper ways to add energy to Avista's portfolio, company spokesman Hugh Imhof said.

Avista is retrofitting turbines at its Noxon Rapids Dam. For $48 million, the project will boost the dam's output by 28 megawatts - enough electricity for 21,000 homes.

The wind farm will have capacity to produce 50 megawatts of power, but the variability of wind speeds reduces the turbines' overall output.