CUMBERLAND — The owner of a wind turbine manufacturing company that announced a $10 million venture in Salisbury earlier this week said that Western Maryland could still be in the firm’s future plans.
“I don’t want the folks in Western Maryland to feel they’re out of the game,” said John Congedo, the president of AC Wind, on Wednesday. “Right now, we have to be focused on this.” Earlier this week, Congedo said his firm will spend $10 million to begin manufacturing Fiberglas wind turbine blades at a former U.S. Marine boat plant on the Eastern Shore. The venture could employ as many as 200 people.
Congedo had looked at the former Bayliner boat plants near Cumberland in his quest for a good plant to renovate for wind blade manufacture, said Matt Diaz, director of the Department of Economic Development for Allegany County. Diaz said he’d been in regular contact with Congedo. The two Bayliner plants, in the North Branch Industrial Park in Mexico Farms, sit empty.
“Geographically, Salisbury has water, rail and road access,” Congedo said.
The politics of wind power may have played a role in Congedo’s decision to locate in Salisbury, said Diaz, and Congedo seemed to confirm that thought.
“The momentum ... from the state of Maryland was toward offshore wind-energy production, so Salisbury was the natural place for him to grow his business. All along, he’s continued to say as the project moves along he’s interested in Western Maryland. I view this as very good news because he is getting some traction for his company,” Diaz said.
Gov. Martin O’Malley was focused on offshore wind-power development, which Congedo said did influence his decision on where to start manufacturing. “The industry is transfixed on Maryland,” Congedo said.
Congedo lives in Garrett County. AC Wind does not own any property in Garrett or Allegany County at present, Congedo said, although he does own personal and business property in the area.
The Obama administration has prioritized offshore wind-energy development along the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. Working in coordination with East Coast governors, the Interior Department has outlined a handful of wind-energy areas, including one zone about 12 miles east of Ocean City.
Working from the state’s end, O’Malley is pushing a proposal that would mandate state utilities to buy the wind energy generated in those zones. If successful, Maryland utilities would lock in to 25-year wind-energy contracts.
The O’Malley administration is estimating that 500 megawatts could be generated by turbines in the federal zone off Maryland’s coast and that they could be running by 2016.
“We have not made a decision that it’s a ‘no’ for a facility in Western Maryland,” Congedo said.
Contact Matthew Bieniek at mbieniek@times-news.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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