Arkansas Wind Opponents Funded By Dark Money

Mystery: Dark money behind opposition to wind energy project

Max Brantley, March 6, 2018 (Arkansas Times)

“SWEPCO, the electric utility that serves part of Arkansas, is raising questions about a media campaign against their proposal to meet part of generating needs with a new wind power project, known as the Wind Catcher Energy Connection…[SWEPCO VP Brian Bond said] a group called “Protect Our Pocketbooks” – which does not reveal the names of its backers or the sources of its substantial funding…claims that Arkansas gets none of the benefits of the project, which is incorrect and misleading. Arkansas will receive the benefits of generation with no fuel costs, cost savings immediately and over the life of the project, the full value of the federal Production Tax Credits available to the project, and the economic development benefits of wind turbine components being manufactured in Arkansas’…The $4.5 billion Wind Catcher project includes acquisition of a 2,000-megawatt wind farm under construction in the Oklahoma Panhandle and construction of a 360-mile dedicated generation tie line to the Tulsa area…SWEPCO has predicted $4 billion savings to electric customers over 25 years and also said the economy in Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana would be helped by production of turbine parts…Little is known about the opponents…[but it is clear] they have money for media advertising…” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet