Alliant Energy is moving forward with its proposed $730 million Columbia Wind Project in Columbia County. The project entails a large-scale wind farm just outside of Madison that the utility says will play a major role in meeting Wisconsin’s future energy needs, according to the press release from Alliant Energy.

The project, which would generate up to 277 megawatts of electricity, has drawn support from clean energy advocates while also raising concerns among some rural residents and farmers who worry about land use changes, construction impacts and the long-term presence of turbines in the landscape.

If approved, the Columbia Wind Project would become one of the largest wind farms in the state, according to University of Wisconsin professor of geotechnical engineering James Tinjum.

“This project would be one of the largest utility-scale wind farms in Wisconsin,” Tinjum said. “While there are about ten other large wind farms already operating in the state, this would significantly contribute to wind energy penetration in Wisconsin’s overall energy mix.”

Alliant Energy officials say Columbia County meets the technical and logistical requirements needed for a project of this size. Alliant Energy’s manager of resource development Justin Foss said the utility considers many factors when deciding where to site a wind farm.