US outfit Apex Clean Energy is developing a 450MW wind farm in western Ohio that it acquired from BP Wind Energy.

Apex took over the Long Prairie project in 2014 and has leased all land needed for a first phase, the developer said in a presentation to Van Wert County officials this month.

Long Prairie will employ 60 to 150 turbines on 35,000 acres of farmland in the southern part of the county. Existing high-voltage power lines and highways would limit the need for new infrastructure, said Apex.

The project has executed an interconnection agreement with grid operator PJM and utility American Electric Power. The Virginia-based developer is discussing offtake deals with utilities and corporate customers.

The $900m Long Prairie scheme is expected to pay an estimated $42m in landowner payments and $81m in local taxes over the life of the project.

Apex aims to complete permitting, leasing and environmental studies this year and start construction on phase one in 2017 or 2018, depending on state legislation.

Wind development in Ohio ground to a halt when strict state-wide setback laws were enacted in 2014. A proposed bill in the legislature would allow counties to establish alternative setbacks for wind projects. Bill HB190 has been referred to the Public Utilities Committee.

Image: Wind farm (sxc)