By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

 Saco city councilors say they need more questions answered before they decide whether the city should sell its wind turbine for $130,000.

The turbine, which sits atop York Hill outside the train station, has been still for three months because of a loose part that could fall. The city council Monday night discussed options for the wind turbine, including replacing the blades or selling the entire structure back to the man who sold it to the city.    

Supporters of the turbine say it provides power to the train station and has become an icon for the city, which was named the greenest city in Maine in 2008 by Going Green Magazine. Opponents say the wind turbine has fallen short in projected energy savings and could pose a safety risk to pedestrians.

The wind turbine was put online in February 2008 for $207,000. The cost included the turbine, monopole, control package and fixes to substandard soil conditions. The package was paid off when installation was completed.

Deputy Public Works Director Howard Carter said the contract with Entegrity Wind Systems guaranteed the unit would produce 90,000 kilowatt hours per year, or $12,600 per year in electrical savings. The contract also stipulated the company was responsibly for maintenance.

To date the unit has measured a kilowatt output of 27,545 hours. This translates to $3,856 of revenue or saved electrical costs.

A Canadian court in 2009 declared Entegrity Wind Systems bankrupt, leaving Saco without a valid contract or performance and maintenance agreements. In May, the city paid $2,125 to have the turbine inspected and serviced.

“They were supposed to be doing periodic maintenance and when they went into default the maintenance fell behind,” Carter said.

Carter said the unit is mechanically and structurally fine, but there is a problem with the shroud or faring that sits at the top of the 100-foot monopole and just below the turbine. There are loose brackets and bolts around the shroud, which Carter said looks like an airplane wing and is not needed for the unit to operate properly.

Councilors said they want to talk to James Heath, former chief executive officer of Entegrity Wind Systems, before they decide what to do with the turbine. Carter said Heath offered to buy back the turbine for $130,000 in August or September. Heath also said he is developing a new type of blade that would increase the production of the unit and also make it quieter. The new blades would be available in late 2011. In the meantime, Heath would remove the shroud so the turbine can be turned back on, Carter said.

“My primary concern with the wind turbine in that location is the public safety aspect,” aid Councilor Marston Lovell.

Lovell said he is concerned a piece of the turbine could fall and injure a pedestrian, which could affect tourism. He said his research shows as turbines age there has been a steady increase in deaths and injuries. Lovell has toured wind farms and said turbines generally are not put in places where people congregate because of the risk of falling pieces.

Councilor Jeffrey Christenbury, who is opposed to keeping the wind turbine, said the city will still be “on the hook for maintenance in perpetuity.” Councilor Eric Cote, a longtime supporter of the turbine and green efforts in the city, said he would like to keep the windmill and try new blades.

“I’d like to give it a go and see what happens,” he said.

Councilor Leslie Smith Jr. said he wants the windmill to stay because the city has invested not only time, but its image in the structure.

“I think we’ve invested more than just money,” he said. “The thing makes a statement: we’re trying.”

Smith said if the turbine was a broken piece of city equipment like a fire truck, it would have been fixed immediately.

“It’s something to look at on (Saco Island) besides bricks. We should get back to making the damn thing spin,” Smith said.

Mayor Ron Michaud said Heath will be invited to meet with councilors during a future workshop.

“I think he’s going to have an uphill road to climb,” he said.

After the workshop, Saco Spirit President Johanna Hoffman said she supports keeping the wind turbine because it is symbolic of the city’s dedication to being the greenest city. Communities across the state have been watching Saco and consider the city “visionary” for being the first to put a turbine downtown, she said.

“What makes Saco unique and admired is its creative vision,” Hoffman said.

Former Saco Mayor Mark Johnston, who lives and owns a business downtown, said he continues to support the wind turbine because it does not put pollutants in the air. He said the city also has invested money in infrastructure around the turbine and maintenance is not that expensive.

“It’s a commitment to the future of our children and our community,” he said. “It’s an icon. Saco is defined by this wind turbine.”

 Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.