VAN WERT – In a letter sent to the Van Wert County Commissioners,
John Arehart of Apex Clean Energy, Inc. announced that Apex would be
disinvesting from the Long Prairie Wind project.
"We have made the
difficult decision to conclude our pursuit of the Long Prairie Wind
project in Van Wert and Mercer Counties," said Arehart in the letter.
"The current policy environment in Ohio, which creates unnecessary
market barriers for wind energy, has made our investment in the state a
highly risky proposition."
"Apex is blessed to work with
communities across the state to create economic development
opportunities through renewable energy," Arehart continues. "Our
high-quality Ohio portfolio promises to bring hundreds of millions of
dollars in local revenue and school funding to the state, along with a
critical, low-cost source of power."
Arehart goes on to state that
due to current state policies, it became necessary for Apex to reduce
their investment exposure in Ohio and to choose which projects they will
continue to advance in the state.
Project landowners will be released from their leases over the next several weeks according to Arehart.
"We
are continuing to advance our other Ohio projects, and this decision
will allow us to direct even greater attention and resources to them,"
said Arehart. "Van Wert and Mercer Counties remain excellent locations
for a wind facility, and we anticipate that if and when the state
becomes more welcoming to these investments, the area will once again
have a bright future in wind energy."
The Long Prairie Wind
project was purchased by Apex in 2014 and would have been located in the
southern part of Van Wert County. The project was put on hold after
state setbacks created roadblocks for the wind farm.