“The Boondoggle of Boondoggles”

By Nick Sibilla

Oregon is a pioneer in green power. But we’re also a pioneer in wasting other people’s money. Right now, Oregon is home to one of the largest energy boondoggles in the nation: Shepherds Flat wind farm.

Currently under construction in Gilliam and Morrow counties, Shepherds Flat soon will have the largest wind farm in the world. Since wind power is expensive, Shepherds Flat has received over $1.2 billion in federal, state and local subsidies. Apologists say these subsidies will create jobs. But according to The Oregonian, this wind farm will create only 35 permanent jobs. In other words, each job created will cost American taxpayers over $34 million.

Meanwhile, Caithness Energy, the developer of Shepherds Flat, will bear only 10% of the cost. But Caithness will earn a 30% return on investment. In addition, this wind farm will not even power Oregon. All of the subsidized output will go to Southern California Edison, which provides electricity to places like Orange County. This project is nothing more than a triad of corporate welfare, government subsidies and exorbitantly expensive jobs. So is it any wonder residents in Shepherds Flat are calling this project the “boondoggle of boondoggles?”

Nick Sibilla is a research associate at Cascade Policy Institute, Oregon’s free market public policy research organization.