We Encourage You to Ask Questions

Tenaska seeks to maintain good working relationships with landowners. This includes being respectful of their land and keeping them updated on what activities will be occurring. During the development phase of renewables projects, studies may be conducted on your land to help determine the suitability for placing facilities. We strive to notify landowners in advance of this type of work, either by letter, email or phone.

Once we have completed the leasing process, during the design phase of development, we will create a formal layout that shows where the access roads, transmission lines and other facilities are expected to be located. We will discuss this layout with landowners and consider their feedback as we continue to refine the layout. In reality, the layout could change up to and during construction, but we will keep landowners updated on changes that could impact them.

Each lease is tied to a specific project. Tenaska may decide to sell a project to another company interested in developing or owning renewables projects. In fact, Tenaska has had good success in working with other companies to bring renewables projects to fruition. Rest assured, Tenaska seeks out like-minded companies that are committed to honest and ethical dealing and that place a priority on working with landowners and communities. In most cases, Tenaska remains involved with the project throughout the development process.

No. Tenaska does not have the right to condemnation or eminent domain. Landowner participation in the project is voluntary.

Construction will offer employment opportunities to qualified local laborers and skilled craft workers. When Tenaska develops a renewables project, we typically hire an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor. The EPC contractor performs design, completes engineering and manages construction of the plant. The EPC contractor also awards construction materials contracts and subcontracts for certain portions of the work. Our construction contractors have typically made an effort to hire workers from the local area, and Tenaska encourages this when possible. Some specialized work may require skills that are not available regionally.

Prior to the start of construction, we will work with state and county agencies (as appropriate) to develop a detailed road use plan of the expected transportation routes, the number of trucks and maximum truck weights. The plan will also document the existing condition of the roadways and provide for any needed repairs related to our project.

We ask in advance for landowners to identify the location of drain tiles, irrigation pivots, terraces or underground equipment on their property. We strive to minimize any potential impact, but in the event there is damage, we will fix it and cover the cost.

Yes, renewables projects are only possible when enough landowners want to lease or sell their land. In some cases, such as wind farms, there can be hundreds of landowners involved. Further, these projects must adhere to local zoning and use ordinances, which typically specify an approval process that incorporates public feedback.

Yes, the lease agreement goes with the property and will be transferred to the new owner. The new owner will also be entitled to receive all payments due under the lease agreement for the duration that they own the property.

We develop wind farms where there is nearby access to the transmission system, wind that blows at the right speed for a prolonged amount of time, a large amount of land with interested owners and a community that is invested in its economic benefits.

Tenaska reviews the land before building a wind farm to ensure proper planning and siting. Special attention is paid to shadow flicker, which generally occurs near sunrise and sunset, lasting only a few minutes. It is based on the angle of the sun in relation to the turbine and the person observing the effect. If needed, slight adjustments can be made to comply with the industry standard of no more than 30 hours per year of modeled realistic shadow flicker at a receptor.

Wind turbines produce minimal sound that is often lost among natural background noises. Typically, two people can carry on a conversation at normal voice levels while standing directly below a turbine.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory completed a study in 2013 that used data collected from the sale of more than 50,000 homes in 27 counties across nine different states. These homes were within 10 miles of wind projects, with 1,198 sales within one mile and 331 sales within half of a mile. This study also used data from before a project, the post-announcement/pre-construction period and during operation. The study found no evidence of an effect on prices of homes in proximity to wind turbines.

Leasing your property for a wind project will have little impact on your land use. A small portion of land — approximately two-thirds of an acre per turbine — is needed for siting of wind turbines and access roads. The remainder of your land can continue to be used in its current state for farming, ranching, leasing, recreation or other purposes.

There is no authoritative evidence that sound from wind turbines represents a risk to human health among neighboring residents. First, wind turbines are generally quiet. When standing 1,000 feet away, the sound level of a wind turbine is similar to a refrigerator humming in the next room. Typically, two people can carry on a conversation at normal voice levels even while standing directly below a turbine.

That said, wind turbine sound may be one of the most easily misunderstood issues related to wind energy projects. Unfortunately, rumors persist about sound from wind turbines affecting human health. The reality is that a multitude of independent studies and government health organizations from around the world have found no link between human health and wind turbine sound.

Research shows that wind projects rank near the bottom of the list of developments that negatively impact wildlife and the environment. Tenaska works to reduce impacts on wildlife by performing various engineering and environmental studies on land to carefully plan turbine placement. These studies analyze migration patterns, local geology, soil characteristics, wetlands and wildlife habitats to ensure turbine placement is as safe, minimally invasive and efficient as possible. Special attention is paid to sensitive species, such as eagles and bats.

Before a project is built, developers create a plan for removing equipment and restoring landowners’ property to its previous condition when the project is no longer operational. This process is called decommissioning. Many local municipalities and state governments require decommissioning plans as a permitting condition.

After the contract period ends, all turbines and access roads are removed, and any damages are repaired so that the land may be used for other purposes. From construction of the wind farm to its decommissioning, all costs are completely covered.