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Developers outline 300-MW wind plan and JVO’s proposed corn-to-jet expansion for eastern Dunn County
Summary
Two energy developers told the Dunn County Board of Commissioners they are pursuing local power and fuel projects — a roughly 300 MW voluntary wind farm and plans to add a corn-to-jet fuel plant tied to on-site low-carbon power — and described permitting, land leases, local tax benefits and mitigation measures.
Dalton Pearson, project manager for Nexter Energy Resources, told the Dunn County Board of Commissioners the company is pursuing the Blizzard Wind project — currently modeled at about 300 megawatts — on the eastern side of the county and adjacent Mercer County border. He said the configuration under study would use modern ~2.82 MW turbines and about an acre per turbine footprint, with roughly 100–110 turbines under the current assumptions. "This project is voluntary," Pearson said, adding that landowner option agreements and environmental diligence are active steps before any permit application.
Pearson said permitting and interconnection can be multi-year processes and projected a typical three- to five-year timeline to study interconnection and obtain permits. He cited a third-party, low-end estimate that the project would generate about $1.3 million per year in county tax revenue and approximately $33 million over a 25-year modeled lifespan; construction would also create temporary jobs and local demand for services. Nexter committed to road-use agreements, crop-compensation provisions and cultural monitoring if sites are adjacent to sensitive areas, and noted coordination requirements with the FAA and Department of Defense for airspace and radar considerations.
Public commenters who live within the proposed project area urged the board not to change zoning spacing that would block the wind project and said lease payments and local tax revenue made the proposal attractive. One resident raised health and livestock concerns, asking whether dust control would be addressed; Nexter responded that construction dust control plans are standard and will be implemented during construction.
Separately, Chris Ryan, president and chief operating officer of JVO, presented plans to expand the Richardson ethanol facility with an alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) unit designed to produce about 30 million gallons of jet fuel per year from ethanol. Ryan said the site already has rail infrastructure and an on‑site carbon sequestration well, which helps lower the carbon profile of fuel produced there. "Our process is designed to put 50 million gallons of ethanol in, get 30 million gallons of jet fuel out," Ryan said, describing the plant as chemically producing fuel indistinguishable from petroleum-based jet fuel.
Klay Norbomb of 06 Energy, JVO's energy partner, discussed options for low‑carbon power to run a prospective ATJ plant. 06 Energy emphasized behind-the‑meter solutions that pair wind with on‑site generation and noted that the project area has accessible natural gas and strong wind resources. Norbomb said the company prioritizes siting to minimize sound and shadow-flicker impacts and prefers to work where landowners want development.
Both presenters repeatedly emphasized voluntary landowner agreements. Pearson said wind leases are typically offered as a capacity payment per turbine or acreage within the project boundary, not revenue shares tied to energy output. When asked about decommissioning, Nexter noted state requirements for decommissioning plans and preconstruction financial assurances (bonds, letters of credit or guarantees) that must be in place before construction.
Why it matters: The presentations put multiple economic and land‑use trade-offs before the board: lease payments and local tax revenue against permitting, road impacts, cultural resources and long-term site stewardship. Commissioners and residents requested more detail on setbacks, decommissioning clauses and the zoning changes under consideration; county staff reminded the public that a moratorium is in place while the zoning commission reviews spacing rules.
Next steps: Developers said they will continue landowner outreach and complete diligence studies; Nexter estimated interconnection study timelines of several years and forecast earliest commercial operation in the late 2020s subject to permitting and agreements. The county awaits further zoning commission hearings and state permitting steps before any conditional use permits or construction approvals would be required.
