Conrad: Langdon Facility Invests in ND Wind Power

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North Dakota Has Potential to Be Nation's Powerhouse, Conrad says

November 12, 2009 -- Langdon – Senator Kent Conrad today met with management and employees of the Langdon Wind Energy Center and applauded their commitment to generating clean energy and creating jobs in Cavalier County.

“Anyone who has stood on the plains has felt the tremendous force of North Dakota’s winds. The Langdon Wind Energy Center is harnessing this clean, natural energy to power homes throughout the region,” Senator Conrad said. “This project is yet one more example of how we can use North Dakota’s powerful winds to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, keep energy prices affordable, and grow our state’s economy with additional jobs.”

North Dakota ranks number one in wind energy potential and is often referred to as the “Saudi Arabia” of wind power. However, the state currently ranks 16th for total wind energy output. Senator Conrad has long worked to expand the market for North Dakota’s wind energy and has been a leader in passing legislation to promote wind energy production.

Operated by NextEra Energy Resources, the Langdon wind generation plant consists of 106 GE turbines that are 300 feet tall and cover 40 square miles. The electricity is carried in cables from the wind generators down the inside of the tower, then underground to the site’s substation. That power then goes into the offsite transmission lines and is used by the local utility to serve its customers in the region. The facility began operation in 2007 and is capable of producing enough electricity to power more than 47,000 homes.

After touring the wind turbines, Senator Conrad discussed the wind farm’s economic contributions to the State. The Langdon facility employs a staff of 14. It pays more than $500,000 annually in property taxes to the State and, as a result of construction and equipment purchases, has contributed more than $47 million to North Dakota’s economy.

NextEra Energy Resources, a subsidiary of FPL Group, is the largest wind generator in the country, with approximately 65 facilities in 16 states and Canada.

Source: Senator Kent Conrad