Company To Develop 45K Acre Wind Farm In Nowata County

A renewable energy company is revealing plans for a major project in Nowata County. Apex Clean Energy will lease 45,000 acres of land to develop a wind turbine farm in the north-central part of the county.

It is called the Hickory Creek Project and includes between 100 and 150 wind turbines as well as solar and battery components. Apex said all together the project will produce 1,200 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power 436,000 homes.

Public Engagement Manager for Apex's Oklahoma and Texas projects, Anna Richey, said they have been working closely with landowners impacted by the project and officials in Nowata County.

"Sometimes people's concerns range from environmental concerns that they may have, to just the view and what that is going to change in the landscape and we are always there and open to answering those questions," Richey continued saying, "There is a lot of misinformation out there and so our goal is to be giving people the best information and the most authentic information, even if it is not exactly what they hope to hear."

Richey said overall the community has been very receptive to the idea and the economic benefits a project of this magnitude will bring.

"The wind portion alone is about $286 million worth of tax revenue to the county and local landowners over the 30-year life of the project," Richey said. "We are also looking at huge economic benefits in terms of long term jobs and jobs during construction as well as the local economic boom that comes with developing these projects."

Apex said the wind portion of the project will cost about $900 million and the additional work is estimated at $550 million.

Richey said the company got its start in Oklahoma and currently has eight other projects operating in the state. She said Apex identified a strong wind source in the area, making Nowata County the perfect candidate for its latest wind turbine farm.

"We get to build a project and that project benefits the local economy in a way that allows communities to think about infrastructure, community needs, libraries, and their schools in a totally different way and we are really excited to be part of that," Richey added.

Apex will break ground in 2024 and said it expects the project to be fully operational by 2025.

The company has opened an office in Nowata at 200 E Cherokee Avenue Richey said the office is fully staffed to answer any questions or concerns the community may have about the project.