North Carolina regulators have approved Apex Clean Energy’s request to build a 189 MW wind farm, the state’s first, in Chowan County.

The permit from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Energy Mineral, and Land Resources allows for up to 45 wind turbines and associated infrastructure to be built as part of the Timbermill Wind project.

The permit is the first for a facility under the North Carolina session law passed in 2013 establishing a permitting program for wind energy facilities. 

Apex Clean Energy must still receive building permits before being able to proceed, according to reports. The developer expects to begin construction as soon as this summer.

Turbines for the Timbermill Wind project will be spaced approximately 1/4 to 1/2 mile apart. The project will be sited on managed timberland and open farmland in rural Chowan County.

Existing high-voltage power lines and highways will limit the need for new infrastructure, Apex said.