Opposing counsel faults consultant for using highest-capacity scenario; expert used 663 MW

Opposing counsel pressed the expert on which nameplate-capacity scenario he used for tax and jobs projections. The application lists a possible low-end capacity of about 508.5 megawatts with certain turbine models; counsel argued using the higher 663-MW figure inflates tax and job numbers. Loomis acknowledged using 663 MW in his local-tax calculations and said his modeling allocates total project megawatts across the turbine layout provided to his team.

"The capacity of the project that we assume for local taxes was 663 megawatts AC," Loomis testified when asked to confirm the figure. Counsel noted that choosing the higher scenario could increase the projected county tax take and job totals by roughly 20% compared with the lower nameplate capacity alleged in the application.