February 14, 2013
New Hampshire

Wind farm operator ends dispute by paying Coos

By Chris Jensen | New Hampshire Public Radio | February 14, 2013 | www.nhpr.org

Brookfield Renewable Energy has ended a dispute with Coos County over payments for its wind turbines by paying up.

Last month Brookfield, which operates 33 wind turbines, said it only owed about $245,000.

That is about half of what the county expected under a Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes agreement. The deal was for ten years.

The county argued the contract was clear and required payments for wind turbine generators that “are actually installed and either generating energy or capable of generating energy and permitted to generate energy as required by applicable law.”

Brookfield argued the payment was “directly tied to the amount of electricity we are permitted to produce.” And, so the payment should be much smaller.

At a Coos County Commissioners’ meeting Wednesday County Administrator Jennifer Fish said Brookfield paid the full amount.

A Brookfield spokeswoman didn’t immediately respond to request for comment.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/02/14/wind-farm-operator-ends-dispute-by-paying-coos/