Energy companies join forces to harness wind power on site of old coal mine

A joint venture comprised of four domestic companies plans to invest some $50 million into the construction of 30 windmills in Belchatow, said Bogdan Piskorski, president of Termall, the company coordinating the undertaking. The other participants are power plant Belchatow II, electricity provider Zaklad Energetyczny "Lodz-Teren" and Elektrownie Szczytowo-Pompowe, a subsidiary of the Polish Power Grid (PSE). Built on a dump near a depleted coal mine, the windmills will have a production capacity of 50 megawatts. "The construction will launch soon," said Edward Chlapinski of the local authorities. "We have already started with changes to zoning." However, before that happens the participants must agree on important details of the investment, including the extent to which each of them will contribute capital and resources. Signing of the initial agreement is scheduled for February 20. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 20) M.K.