NCORPE negotiating land lease for renewable energy use

    Members of the NCORPE board delayed any decision on whether to lease the 18,000 acres of the Lincoln County augmentation to a renewable energy company.
    Board members met Jan. 15 in North Platte and discussed the lease and opted to take no action.
    Board members indicated they are still negotiating with Invenergy, a privately held, global developer and operator of sustainable energy solutions headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
    The company is negotiating with the  board about leasing the property. If approved, the company will complete a four-year feasibility study to determine if the property is suitable for wind and solar projects.
    The NCORPE project is jointly owned by the Upper, Middle, Lower Republican and Twin Platte Natural Resources Districts.
    During the Upper Republican’s January meeting, Asst. URNRD Manager Nate Jenkins said the board reached a consensus to support leasing the property.
    Jenkins said the URNRD board believes the lease can provide additional revenue that can be used to reduce the debt against the project.
    If renewable energy projects are later developed, revenue could increase substantially. It could also generate an increase in property taxes for the taxing entities where the project is located.

 

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