| Abstract: |
The Langdon Wind Energy Center is the largest wind energy facility to be
developed in North Dakota to date and consists of 106 turbines with a
generating capacity of 1.5 MW each, mounted on towers 262 feet tall. The
project is owned by FPL Energy and Ottertail Power Company; FPL Energy was the
project developer. Construction of the facility began in July, 2007 and was
completed in January, 2008. The peak construction work force was 269 workers.
A force of 10 permanent employees will operate and maintain the energy center.
Construction of the Langdon Wind Energy Center is estimated to have resulted
in payments of more than $56 million to entities within North Dakota. During
operation, the facility will make payments of about $1.4 million annually to
North Dakota entities, including $413,000 in payments to landowners with
easement agreements. The $56 million in statewide direct expenditures during
the construction period were estimated to result in an additional $169 million
in secondary impacts for a total, one-time construction impact of $225
million. The $1.4 million in annual direct impacts associated with project
operation lead to an additional $3 million in secondary impacts for a total
annual impact of $4.4 million. During operation, the county is expected to
receive $191,000 annually in direct property tax payments and $194,000 in
total increased property tax revenues while having negligible increases in
costs. The same pattern is repeated for the Langdon school district, where an
estimated $265,000 in property tax revenues will be received annually from the
project during the operations period. This case study shows that commercial
scale wind farms can benefit nearby communities by creating stable, well-paid
jobs, through lease payments to land owners, and by adding to the local tax
base. |