News Releases for March 2007
March 29, 2007
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Hoeven, Industry Leaders Announce State's Largest Wind Farm Project To Date, In Langdon
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today joined with officials from Minnkota Power Cooperative, Otter Tail Power Co., FPL Energy, elected officials, area mayors and council members to announce plans for what will be the largest wind facility in the state – a new 159 megawatt wind power facility in Langdon, N.D. Five years ago, North Dakota had less than 0.5 megawatts of wind energy generation. The project will bring that figure to more than 400 megawatts, with additional projects in the planning stage. Also joining Hoeven for the event were District 10 legislators Sen. Curtis Olafson; Rep. Chuck Damschen; and Rep. Dave Monson.
The facility will cost approximately $225 million and consist of 106, 1.5 megawatt turbines, generating enough electricity to power roughly 48,000 homes. Minnkota and Otter Tail are partnering on a new 35 mile transmission line upgrade between Langdon and Hensel. The project will create up to 10 full-time jobs and between 40 and 50 construction jobs during the building phase. Landowners are receiving an annual rent payment per tower.
Under the terms of a 25-year power-purchase agreement, Minnkota will purchase 99 megawatts of wind-generated electricity from FPL Energy; Otter Tail will own and purchase a total of 60 megawatts of the total.
"We've worked hard to initiate tax credits and other measures to create a favorable business climate for wind energy in the state," Hoeven said. "Projects like this one help us make giant strides toward our goal of doubling our energy production, and contribute our share toward generating 25 percent of the nation's energy from renewable power by the year 2025."
Hoeven is working with legislators on a new set of comprehensive renewable energy incentives, including a renewable energy grant fund, expanded investment tax credits and a tradable income tax credit for installation of geothermal, solar or wind energy devices.
In past sessions, Hoeven and legislators have initiated a broad range of incentives to further expand the state's wind energy industry and help promote wind development projects. These include:
- An income tax credit for wind projects covering the actual cost of acquisition and installation of wind energy devices for five tax years.
- A property tax reduction that reduces the assessed value of a wind turbine electric generation unit to 1.5 percent.
- A sales tax exemption for construction of a wind powered electrical generating facility.
- A North Dakota Transmission Authority to promote new and substantial investments in transmission lines in North Dakota and to facilitate the planning and investment process.
- A regional energy credit tracking and trading program which allows the trading of renewable energy credits to plants in other states.
- The streamlining of siting rules for wind farms.
- One of the most extensive state-sponsored wind monitoring programs in the country.
- A North Dakota Office of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, to work with the programs and help companies develop wind farms in North Dakota.
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