Piedmont Reaches Deal With Virgina-Based Wind Energy Company

Piedmont has called a truce with a wind energy company that is building a large wind farm in Canadian and Kingfisher Counties.

Earlier this week, Piedmont City Council announced the city had struck a deal with Virginia-based Apex Wind Energy. Apex had planned to construct between 100 and 200, 500-foot tall wind turbines in the Piedmont and Okarche areas. 

The deal means Apex will decrease that total by at least 50, and none of the turbines can be more than 500 feet tall. 

Piedmont City Manager Jim Crosby says cooler heads prevailed.

"We finally got everybody to sit down at a table across from each other," he said. "We worked out an agreement that really protects 95 percent of the people involved."  

An Apex spokesperson tells me they always want to work with the cities and counties where their wind farms are.  Apex told me they are satisfied with the outcome.

9/4/2013 Related Story: Virginia Company Responds To Piedmont's Decision To Ban Wind Farm