CENTER - Soon there will be enough wind energy produced near here to power a city more than 20 times the size of Center, which is already a big energy producer in North Dakota's coal country.

Groundbreaking began Wednesday on the Oliver Wind Energy Center, which will soon have 22 wind turbines generating 50.6 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 16,000 homes.

The project is a joint venture between FPLEnergy, the national leader in wind energy, and Minnesota Power, which is purchasing the electricity.

What is unique about the new wind farm is that it is the first in the United States to use turbines with a generation capacity of 2.3 megawatts.

FPL's Mike O'Sullivan, senior vice president for development, said most commercial wind farms use turbines with a capacity of 1.5 megawatts. A 1-megawatt turbine powers about 300 homes.

Although it will have 11 fewer turbines than the new wind farm near Wilton, the Oliver Wind Energy Center will be the largest in the state in terms of electricity generated. The Wilton wind farm generates about 49.5 megawatts of electricity. FPLEnergy also operates a wind farm that generates 40 megawatts of electricity near Edgeley and Kulm.

The capacity of the 262-feet high machines is impressive, as well as the financial impact to the community.

Nine landowners will get payment of $2,000 to $4,000 a year for each turbine on their land. Other landowners are receiving payments for easements on their land for other infrastructure the company needs to move the power to market.

"With agriculture you can always use the extra income, there's no doubt about that,"landowner Paul Gerr said.

Gerr will have five turbines on his farm where he grows small grains and raises cattle.

Landowner Jackie Gullickson said she is excited about the turbines going up on her land because she didn't think it was a possibility a year ago.

"Iguess Ijust thought it was wonderful," Gullickson said.

Tim McNeil, who manages the Wilton wind farm, will be overseeing the operation of the Oliver Wind Energy Center. McNeil said the new wind farm will employ three or four technicians. During construction there will be about 150 workers employed.

Groundbreaking ceremonies for new windfarms are a big attraction for politicians, who like to promote renewable energy and tout initiatives that spur wind farm development.

Gov. John Hoeven, Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., and Agricultural Commissioner Roger Johnson gave speeches at the event. The focus of some of the speeches revolved around state and federal tax incentives implemented in the past few years to encourage wind development.

Hoeven said five years ago there were a handful of wind facilities in the state generating one-half of a megawatt of power, but there are now five new wind energy projects in the state that will generate a combined capacity of more than 330 megawatts of electricity.

The Oliver Wind Energy Center is expected to be running by the end of the year or early next year.

(Reach reporter Tom Rafferty at 223-8482 or tom.rafferty@;bismarcktribune.com.)