Oregon Public Broadcasting

Across the Northwest, wind turbine farms have seen a building boom in the last few years.

They are touted as the future of renewable energy. But the recession has made it more difficult to pay for those farms.

Now one project in northeast Washington is being delayed by two years. Correspondent Anna King reports.

Spokane-based power company Avista Corporation was planning a $125 millon wind farm near the Idaho border. But the company now says it’s putting off the project for at least two years because of the high cost of the wind turbines and raw materials.

Instead, Avista is remodeling an existing hydroelectric dam.

Rachel Shimshak is with the Renewable Northwest Project. She says wind, geothermal and solar projects are suffering in this downturn.

Rachel Shimshak: "However, we feel as though the future is bright for clean energy because it is the thing that will help us come out of this economic recession."

One sector of the Northwest economy is benefiting from the high cost of wind turbines.

Turbine-maker Vestas Wind Systems has announced plans to expand its operation in Portland creating about 850 new jobs.