About a year after Pleasant Valley Wind Farm starts producing energy in 2015, Mower County and townships with towers will reap the benefits.

That’s because the county is set to get additional funding — about $400,000 by one estimate — through the state’s Wind Energy Production Tax, a credit based on the amount of energy produced.

In 2014, just under $1.6 million went to Mower County based on 2013 energy production — $1.27 to Mower County and about $318,000 was distributed among the townships with towers.

County Coordinator Craig Oscarson said the money goes directly into the budget and offsets the county’s tax levy.

“The money’s working for the public right now,” Oscarson said.”It’s not just sitting idle.”

Though Pleasant Valley is set to start producting energy in 2015, the county likely won’t start receiving production credit money from the project until 2016, since the production tax credit is based on the amount of energy produced the prior year.

Community members commonly ask county workers and commissioners if money from the wind farms could be directed toward road repairs or for the bonds for the Jail and Justice Center; however, Oscarson said redirecting the funds now would make for a significant levy increase and shift.

“This is quite beneficial for our citizens in terms of taxes,” Oscarson said.

Mower currently has 253 wind towers.