State and local leaders and landowners joined executives from NextEra Energy Resources and American Electric Power (AEP) today to celebrate the commissioning of the Bluff Point Wind Energy Center in Indiana.
The Bluff Point Wind Energy Center features 57 GE wind turbines with a generating capacity of nearly 120 MW. Affiliates of NextEra Energy Resources built and will own and operate the project.
“On behalf of Governor Holcomb, I am very pleased to help commission this exciting project that represents a $200 million investment in our state,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, R-Ind. “It has created good jobs for Hoosiers and an economic uplift for the region, as well as low-cost, clean energy, which is a product we can all be proud of.”
The wind energy from the project serves customers of AEP affiliate Appalachian Power, which serves 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee. The company has been moving toward a more diversified energy portfolio that will include more wind-generated power, solar power, demand-side management and energy efficiency, as well as existing hydropower, coal and natural gas plants.
According to the partners, the Bluff Point Wind Energy Center is providing a significant economic boost for Jay and Randolph counties, creating approximately 200 jobs during the construction phase this year and five full-time jobs to support it when it became operational in October. The project is expected to provide more than $30 million in new tax revenue to the county governments over its first 30 years of operations and nearly $21 million in payments to local landowners.
“We are very proud to host the Bluff Point Wind Energy Center right here in Jay County,” said Jeanne Houchins, Jay County councilmember. “This project has already created a great deal of enthusiasm and positive economic activity in our community. The extra tax revenue it generates will go a long way to help our county enhance our schools, roads and essential services.”
