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Stories focused on energy & environment topics throughout the state of Kansas.

Westar Energy To Finance New Wind Farm In Ford County

Joseph Novak / Flickr / Creative Commons

Westar Energy, Kansas' largest electricity provider, is financing a new wind farm in Ford County.

The California-based company Infinity Wind Power will construct a nearly 300-megawatt wind farm near Dodge City, Kansas. The $435 million project is expected to take about a year to complete.

Once the wind farm is operational, Westar Energy will take over, bringing the company’s total renewable energy output to 1,500 megawatts.

Part of the wind turbines used for the wind farm will be manufactured at the Siemens plant in Hutchinson.

In total, the project is expected to create more than 200 construction jobs.

The announcement comes just after Congress renewed the Production Tax Credit, a huge tax incentive for those investing in wind energy infrastructure.

Westar says the tax credit has helped build each and every one of their wind farms.

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Follow Sean Sandefur on Twitter, @SeanSandefur

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