October 21, 2021
New York

Wind developer agrees to $54 million in payments for Orleans County project

Thomas J. Prohaska The Buffalo News | Oct 19, 2021 | buffalonews.com

Heritage Wind, a planned 184-megawatt wind power project in Orleans County, has agreed to pay local governments and schools almost $54 million over the next 25 years, assuming state regulators approve the project.

Wednesday, the Barre Town Board approved a host community agreement that would bring the town of 1,900 people about $40 million.

On Oct. 8, the county Industrial Development Agency approved a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes deal bringing about $6.7 million to the county, $6.6 million to the Albion Central School District, and $200,000 to the Oakfield-Alabama School District.

Barre’s payments will start at $1.2 million and rise 2% a year for the first 14 years, Supervisor Sean P. Pogue said. The payments will increase 2.5% a year thereafter. The same percentage increases apply to the county and school payments.

Heritage Wind, developed by Apex Clean Energy of Charlottesville, Va., would comprise 33 turbines, each 680 feet high including the length of the whirling blades.

“It would be taller than any building in Buffalo or Rochester,” Pogue said.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/10/21/wind-developer-agrees-to-54-million-in-payments-for-orleans-county-project/