KINGMAN, Kan. — State and local leaders and landowners joined executives from NextEra Energy Resources and Westar Energy to celebrate the commissioning of the Kingman and Ninnescah Wind Energy Centers, which has created hundreds of construction jobs as well as millions of dollars in economic benefits to the region.
The Kingman and Ninnescah Wind Energy Centers feature more than 240 GE wind turbines designed to pivot to capture the prevailing wind and convert it to clean, renewable electricity.
They say they have a generating capacity of 400 megawatts, capable of powering more than 100,000 homes. The energy serves customers of Westar Energy as well as its wholesale partners Midwest Energy and the cities of McPherson, Chanute, Iola, Fredonia and Sabetha through energy management service agreements.
They also say that these projects have created a significant economic boost for Kingman and Pratt Counties, creating approximately 500 jobs during the construction phase in 2016, and approximately 35 full-time jobs once the projects became operational in December. The projects will provide more than $40 million in guaranteed payments to the county governments over their projected 30-year operational life, and nearly $100 million in payments to local landowners. From labor and materials, to housing, health care and construction – a wide variety of local businesses have benefitted from the influx of economic activity.