ISHPEMING - Despite rocky financial times and management issues, WindStor Power Co. has found a way to continue its wind turbine power generator project at the Pioneer Bluff senior citizen apartment building in Ishpeming. WindStor entered into an agreement to sell the planned 162-foot wind generator installation at the apartment building to Partners Green LLC, making Partners Green the official developer of the site.

WindStor and Partners Green representative Gary Westerholm said the project will continue this winter.

"All the groundwork is already done," he said. "The foundation is in place and now we just have to go in and assemble it piece by piece. Fortunately the hard part is done, we just have to get the parts up there, back the crane in and assemble it."

That's a sight Evelyn Valente-Heikkila, the Ishpeming Housing Commission director, said she is eager to see.

"I don't have a timeline for when they're going to be back up here and back to work, but I expect it will be in the next couple of weeks and it should be up and running by the end of November," she said. "I'm anxious to get it set up and see what it can do for us."

Partners Green is a company founded by Westerholm and several other investors. The group purchased the development site for $425,000 and will receive an annual credit from WindStor Power of $8,000 toward future equipment purchases.

Westerholm said the closing of the agreement is contingent upon the completion of the installation and certification of a performance test by a mutually acceptable engineer.

The new agreement calls for WindStor to continue to provide the turbine and all its assembled parts while Partners Green will develop the site with the provided turbine.

"This will allow WindStor to do what it does best, making the product and supplying it," Westerholm said. "In future developments, WindStor will be able to focus on providing the best product possible and will be able to become stronger as a company."

According to a press release from WindStor, the installation can be completed in about six weeks after work begins.

Work was halted on the project earlier this year following financial difficulties with WindStor. Westerholm said a change in management has allowed the company to continue with its plans.

"Everything is going to be much smoother from now on," he said. "The new management has ... the funds to make this project go forward."

By SAM EGGLESTON, Journal Ishpeming Bureau
Published: Friday, October 20, 2006
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