July 27, 2022 01:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time

PERU, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UKA, a leading developer and operator of wind and solar farms, has announced that their 80-megawatt wind farm, Hickory Wind, will be moving forward from land acquisition to permitting. Over the next few months, the Hickory Wind team will be working on a series of studies including environmental, avian, shadow flicker, sound, and decommissioning, which will help ensure that the future wind farm complies with all local, county, state, and federal wind farm regulations. This transition represents a significant step forward for Hickory Wind, which is expected to contribute more than $20M in property taxes for all taxing districts over the next 25 years.

At an event for participating landowners held at Cedar Creek Ranch in Cedar Point earlier this month, Senior Project Manager Denis Onwualu noted, “This tremendous achievement for the people of La Salle County and UKA would not have been possible without the dedicated support and engagement from landowners, local officials, and community groups and businesses. We are grateful for the support and look forward to becoming a long-time member of the La Salle County community.”

Onwualu said the project has also received a completed Facility Study report from PJM, the transmission provider. “This is another significant milestone for the project.”

Residents with questions about the Hickory Wind project are encouraged to contact UKA’s local liaison Dan Churney at 1037 Shooting Park Road, Peru, Illinois, via email at churney@uka-group.com, or via phone at 815-202-0317

Land acquisitions are currently being finalized, but some opportunities for participation in the project remain. Interested landowners should contact Dennis Stout at stout@uka-group.com to discuss project opportunities.