Glacier Wind Farm, 210 MW

NaturEner USA began construction in 2008 on 210 MW of wind power generation plant near Shelby which was built in two phases. Governor Schweitzer spoke at the official ground breaking of the first phase on July 17, 2008, which was operational by the end of October. Located in the hills between Cut Bank and Shelby, the first phase has a nameplate capacity of 106.5 MW. Another 103.5 MW was added in phase two and went online in October 2009. NaturEner reports that the payments from the Glacier Wind Farm of Montana property and corporate taxes along with landowner’s royalties are $6.8 million per year. The Montana Department of Revenue reports that in 2010 the Glacier Wind Farm located in Toole and Glacier Counties paid $3,708,734 in property taxes. By 2018 the locally granted New and Expanded Industry tax credit that was granted to this project will expire and annual Montana property tax payments will increase to approximately $6,200,000 per year.

Judith Gap Wind Farm, 135 MW

The Judith Gap wind farm owned by Invenergy and located six miles south of Judith Gap in Wheatland County was dedicated on October 7, 2005. The 135 MW wind farm is equipped with 90 GE turbines rated at 1.5 MW capacities each. The Judith Gap Wind Farm has proven to be one GE’s best performing sites in terms of wind capacity factor. Judith Gap has a proposed expansion of 35 turbines for another 52.5 MW, adding nearly 40 percent in power-production capacity. Invenergy reports that the Judith Gap Wind Farm has resulted in over $28 million of Montana tax and landowner royalty payments since the plant began operation in 2005. The Montana Department of Revenue reports that in 2010 the Judith Gap wind farm paid $1,441,874 in property taxes. By 2015, the locally awarded New and Expanded Industry tax credit that was granted to this project will expire and annual Montana property tax payments will increase to approximately $2,300,000 per year.

 

Diamond Willow Wind Farm, 30 MW

Montana Dakota Utility’s Diamond Willow wind farm near Baker was completed in three phases. Phase one was completed in 2007, phase two resulted in 13 turbines with a total capacity of 19.5 MW. An expansion to the farm, completed in 2010, added an additional 10.5 MW for a total of 30 MW of nameplate capacity. The Montana Department of Revenue reports that in 2010 the Diamond Willow Wind Farm located in Fallon County paid $81,369 in property taxes. By 2017 the locally granted New and Expanded Industry tax credit that was granted to this project will expire and annual Montana property tax payments will increase to approximately $110,000 per year.

 

Horseshoe Bend Wind Park, 9 MW

This wind farm, located near Great Falls, is owned by Exergy Development Corporation and has a nameplate capacity of 9 megawatts of electricity from six 1.5 MW turbines, enough to power about 2,400 homes a year. The Montana Department of Revenue reports that in 2010 the Horseshoe Bend Wind Farm located in Cascade County paid $211,888 in property taxes. By 2018 the locally awarded New and Expanded Industry tax credit that was granted to this project will expire and annual Montana property tax payments will increase to approximately $350,000 per year.