“Community owned” wind company plans 500 megawatt wind farm in central Montana

Company plans 500 megawatt wind farm in Montana

BILLINGS, Mont. — A Minnesota company has partnered with a Montana developer to pursue more than 500 megawatts of community-owned wind power in central Montana.

National Wind of Minneapolis and Montana Wind Resources of Billings said Monday the project would be built in phases of at least 100-megawatts each over the next five to eight years. Landowners in Judith Basin, Wheatland, Golden Valley and Fergus counties would share in any revenues.

The companies say a separate entity — Judith Highlands Energy LLC — will manage the project, which they describe as the first large, community-owned wind farm in Montana.

The latest entry into Montana’s budding wind power industry comes as corporations including NaturEner, Invenergy and Gaelectric have announced plans to erect more than 1,000 megawatts of wind power turbines over the next several years.