The Pettisville school district $1.7 million wind turbine project is “evolving,” Steve Switzer, district superintendent, said Tuesday morning.

If the wind turbine isn’t fi- nancially viable, Switzer said the school board is prepared to abandon the project.

Earlier, it appeared the turbine project was in jeopardy for a number of reasons, including:

The wind turbine company that submitted the lowest bid was not approved for federal grant funding because the actual turbine submitted did not meet federal “Buy American” requirements.

A $750,000 American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (federal stimulus) grant is the major source of funding the windmill.

The second low bid included a maintenance fee that was more than double the amount of the low bid.

Clarification of Toledo Edison’s “load charge” policy indicated the school district would continue to pay the load charge portion of the electricity bill, even if the turbine was supplying all of the school’s energy needs.

Switzer said Tuesday there are ongoing negotiations over parts of the turbine project that could make it more financially viable.

“We are looking at it carefully,” he said.

“We are prepared to walk away from the project. We don’t want to, but we are prepared to do so.

“We will not get into a situation that is not beneficial for us in the long run.”

In a related matter, Chris Lee, district treasurer, was authorized by the board to sign a contract with First Energy on behalf of the district for electric service.

The district should have moved to a lower primary power rate when the power was routed to the new building.

The school district was incorrectly billed at a higher rate.

The new contract corrects this and should result in a rebate of funds paid.–D.J. Neuenschwander and David Pugh