In the high plains of Stillwater County, the hum of spinning wind turbines recently grew a little bit louder. The turbines of the Beaver Creek Wind Farm face the Beartooth Mountains to the south, and overlook the small community of Rapelje to the north. They came online August 1.
Local resident Ray Lind says he doesn’t mind them.
"It's kinda fun to see the little turbines going around and see the lights blinking at night," Lind says. "But they really don't affect us any, because they're far enough away."
The 88-turbine farm is owned by Puget Sound Energy out of Washington. It’s part of the company’s mission to generate 100 percent clean energy by 2045.
Beaver Creek is the second wind project in Stillwater County. County Commissioner Roger Webb says he'd welcome more.
"I'd love to see that whole north country in windmills," he says.
Some counties are discussing more stringent regulations for wind farms as residents complain about turbines blocking views. Webb welcomes the $7.8 million in fees the county will receive. That money will improve Stillwater’s infrastructure, services and schools.
Webb still supports extraction-based industries, like mining, in the area. Especially after local employer Sibanye-Stillwater laid off 700 mining workers in 2024.
"We've had a golden goose for a long time, and we're trying to revive it," he says. "The wind's the other golden goose. It’s ours, we’re protecting that puppy."
In his eyes, Webb says Puget Sound Energy has been a good partner.
It redid roads, tried to diminish traffic disruptions and used local suppliers for most labor and equipment.
Puget Sound Energy, says it doesn’t want to force projects on counties that don’t want them.
The company is considering expanding Beaver Creek. Webb says they’re also currently assessing permit applications for another project.
"We have two counties in the eastern part of the state, and their constituents are dead set against wind farms … Their people don’t want them. That's fine. Give me the name and phone numbers, I'll call them and I'll take them," Webb says.
The county could see as many as 400 new turbines spinning by the end of 2026.
