Consumers Energy has started construction on its Cross Winds Energy Park in Tuscola County. The project, to be located in Akron and Columbia Townships, has agreements with the Tuscola County Road Commission for the maintenance, repair, and upgrades to area roads to be used for transporting wind turbine components and related project materials. The 105 MW project will be comprised of 62 wind turbines. Barton Malow of Southfield is the lead contractor, and the project is being assisted by Duke Energy personnel. In Huron County, the first 13 wind turbines of DTE Energy’s Echo Wind Park have recently been commissioned. The project schedule calls for all 70 turbines (112 MW) to be operational by the end of 2013. This is the third wind farm to be owned and operated by DTE Energy, which now has contracts signed or projects in operation to bring its renewable energy portfolio to 9.8 percent of its annual load.