NC Pockets First Wind Property Taxes

Chevron Global Power has paid their wind farm property taxes in full for 2011.

A check for just over $377.000  thousand  was handed over ceremoniously to Natrona County Commissioners on Tuesday.

Ktwo Radio's, Karen Snyder, has more...

Listen Here:

Chris Bucholz is the manager of the Chevron Wind Farm east of Casper. The wind installation has been generating electricity for the last 13 months. The power goes directly into the grid and is sold to Rocky Mountain Power.  In addition to a property tax payment he also brought commissioners up to date on some community projects that Chevron's contributed to.  "We contributed to Summit elementary school for their wind turbine and for their renewable energy center and we've contributed some money to  Casper College to help them to buy some safety equipment for their climbing tower for the renewable program."

Bucholz acknowledged the often contentious process that brought the 11 turbines to the old Chevron Refinery Site.

On-going complaints about the red flashing F-A-A required lights a-top the turbines was addressed. Commissioner,  Rob Hendry says they still get calls from residents who say they feel like they live in a "red light district".  Bucholz says the company is inquiring into newer technology that could mean lights flash only when an aircraft is nearby.  "We've got our health, environmental, and safety manager looking into the technology.  We don't understand the technology either, so until we understand how it applies and how it functions were just gonna check on it and see if it could apply on our wind farm."

Bucholz says they have no plans at this time to change their FAA lights.

In addition Bucholz says the wind farm has been used by Casper College as an educational tool and they've hosted tours for various elementary groups.