
Plans for a wind turbine test and certification facility, which would be the first of its kind, were introduced recently in Virginia.
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell announced the green energy project, called Poseidon Atlantic, which will be developed on Virginia’s Eastern Shore in Northampton County. He said it will help fill a growing need for facilities that test and certify wind turbines.
“The Poseidon Atlantic project has huge potential for Virginia,” Lt. Governor Bill Bolling said. “If this industry takes root and matures, we could create thousands of new jobs in manufacturing, construction, logistics, operations and maintenance activities. Many of these jobs are skilled positions with very competitive wages and benefits, and they would produce a sustained and long term economic benefit for Virginia.”
The proposed facility will provide full-service testing and certification of existing and next-generation land-based and offshore wind turbine generators.
The Poseidon Atlantic project will provide 25 jobs over the next two years and potentially provide more than 5,000 jobs for the people of Virginia in the long-run. The project is set to cost between $6.5 and $9 million, which will come from third-party investors.
Viriginia has 38 megawatts of wind energy projects under construction, according to the American Wind Energy Association.

