GUILFORD – Guilford residents are watching the preliminary stages of a private multi-million dollar investment that will inevitably alter the town’s landscape.

High Bridge Wind, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Calpine Corporation, is proposing construction of a 100 megawatt wind powered electric generating facility that would call for construction of 25-30 wind turbines in Guilford’s north-east region, somewhere between Guilford Lake and Route 8.

The project – the first of its kind in Chenango County – proposes to interconnect into an existing New York State Electric and Gas Corporation (NYSEG) transmission line, transferring power into the New York State power grid.

The Calpine Corporation is currently reaching out to landowners, local officials, and area residents. Initial outreach began in 2017 and has since led to talks of leasing options with several landowners in the area.

The project itself is a New York State level project that’s under Article 10 rule, meaning final decisions are outside the purview of the Guilford Town Board. Nevertheless, Calpine is working closely with board members to keep the community up to speed. The company presented details of the project at a public meeting in June.