GRAND FORKS (AP) - Three companies that are planning North Dakota's largest wind farm in northeastern North Dakota say they hope to finish the $225 million project by year's end.

The proposed development, south of Langdon in Cavalier County, will have 106 wind turbines and generate 159 megawatts of power, enough to supply about 48,000 homes, officials said at a news conference here.

FPL Energy LLC, of Juno Beach, Fla., is building the project as part of a partnership with Minnkota Power Cooperative of Grand Forks and Otter Tail Power Co. of Fergus Falls, Minn.

FPL Energy has 25-year agreements to sell 99 megawatts of power to Minnkota. Otter Tail will own 27 of the 106 wind turbines, which are capable of supplying 40.5 megawatts of power, and will buy another 19.5 megawatts from FPL Energy.

Chuck MacFarlane, president of Otter Tail, said the utility has a goal of getting 160 megawatts of electricity from wind.

The company already buys 21 megawatts of wind power from a wind project near Edgeley, in southeastern North Dakota.

"We're looking forward to getting this project under way, and identifying future wind projects," MacFarlane said.

Minnkota and Otter Tail also are planning to upgrade 35 miles of electric transmission line between Langdon and Hensel, in Pembina County to the east.

The state Public Service Commission is in charge of siting the project. Company spokesmen said they hoped to begin construction this summer and have the project completed by late December or early January.

Gov. John Hoeven, who attended the ceremony, said the project would create up to 10 operations and maintenance jobs in the Langdon area, and 40 to 50 construction jobs.

Otter Tail has about 57,000 North Dakota electric customers, and serves the cities of Jamestown, Devils Lake and Wahpeton.

Minnkota supplies wholesale power to three eastern North Dakota rural electric cooperatives, and eight cooperatives in northwestern Minnesota.