UPC Wind changes name

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By Bob Clark
The Evening Tribune
Thu May 01, 2008, 12:18 PM EDT

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Newton, Mass. -
There’s a new name on the Cohocton and Prattsburgh wind projects, but no change in operations should be seen.

UPC Wind became First Wind this morning, according to John Lamontagne, director of corporate communications for the company.

“Nobody knew about it because we didn’t tell anyone,” he said.

“It happened about an hour and a half ago,” Lamontagne added during a 9:30 a.m. phone call.

Company president and CEO Paul Gaynor posted a letter on the company’s Web site this morning, saying the name change should be good for the company.

“We believe this name change to First Wind more clearly reflects who we are as a company, and more clearly reflects our commitment to being a leader in clean, renewable energy development in North America,” he wrote. “Although our name has changed, our core values remain the same.”

According to the letter, the planning, construction and operation of the company’s projects will not change.

First Wind, as UPC Wind, was founded in 1995. The Newton, Mass.-based corporation is currently constructing a 50-turbine, 125-megawatt wind turbine project on Dutch, Lent, Pine and Brown hills near Cohocton, as well as a project in Prattsburgh.