Maine's wilderness zoning board has given final approval to a $270 million wind power project in the state's western mountains.

TransCanada Maine Wind Development Inc., a unit of TransCanada Corp. of Calgary, Alberta, plans to erect 44 wind turbines on and near Kibby Mountain, just east of Coburn Gore.

If built today, the 132-megawatt project would be New England's largest wind farm, generating enough electricity to power 50,000 homes. The company has said it hopes to have the wind farm fully operational by the fall of 2010.

Meeting Wednesday in Orono, the state Land Use Regulation Commission voted unanimously to approve TransCanada's final development permit. LURC had previously agreed to rezone 2,367 acres to make way for the project.

Numerous wind projects are in the works in Maine, where the only industrial wind farm now in operation is in the Aroostook County town of Mars Hill. During the past year, LURC approved a wind project on Stetson Mountain, a rural ridgeline near Danforth, in Washington County.

Last year, LURC rejected two versions of a smaller wind farm proposed for Maine's western mountains after opponents argued that it would damage views enjoyed by area hikers. Unlike the proposals for turbines on Redington and Black Nubble mountains, the Kibby project is not expected to severely affect views from Sugarloaf/USA ski resort, the Appalachian Trail or other popular tourist draws.

"The most significant views would be from the Kibby Mountain fire tower and from Kibby Mountain and Kibby Range themselves," LURC's staff recommendation said. "However, this area has relatively low use by the public, and these mountains have not been designated as having regionally scenic significance."