NextEra Energy Resources is working to resolve TV reception problems related to its new wind farm, Jay County Commissioners were told Monday.
About 15 homeowners in southern Jay County have submitted complaints that UHF and VHF television signals are affected when the wind turbines are spinning and generating electricity.
Longtime farmer Tom Warren raised the issue at a commissioners meeting late last month, viewing it as a public safety matter in light of the tornado that swept through the county Nov. 5.
“They are working on a solution,” county engineer Dan Watson told commissioners Monday.
He and other county officials have been in touch with NextEra about the problem.
Commissioners also returned Monday to their concerns about traffic safety on county roads 300 South and 300 East. The intersection of 300 South and Boundary Pike was the site of a fatal accident late last year.
Highway superintendent Ken Wellman said truck traffic on county road 300 South from U.S. 27 to county road 300 East and on county road 300 East to Indiana 26 is related to a large egg production facility in that part of the county.
“Those two routes are the main concern,” said Wellman.
Signs near the intersection have been changed to provide better warning.
“I don’t know what else you can do but lower the speed limit,” he added.
But Watson and commissioner Barry Hudson expressed a degree of skepticism about a change in the speed limit.
“I don’t know that you can justify it without an engineering study,” said Watson. “There are trucks all over Jay County. … Very rarely do you just go out in the middle of the county and lower the speed limit. … I don’t think it’s justified.”
At Hudson’s urging, Watson will conduct a traffic count “before we jump to any conclusions.”