Letters to the editor, infographics, and community voices on the proposed industrial wind development in Rice County.
Reporting from Kansas news outlets on the proposed Rice County wind development and the community response.
NextEra Energy, an energy company based out of Florida, has abandoned a windmill project in Rice County. The company cited the county's moratorium on wind projects as the reason for the abandonment.
Rice County landowners are celebrating after learning efforts to bring a wind farm to the county have been put to a stop — though they also worry this is just one battle in a potential war to come.
A planned informational meeting on a proposed wind energy project in Rice County was canceled just hours before it was set to begin Thursday, leaving many residents frustrated after they had already made plans to attend.
The project would include putting up more than 100 wind turbines between Sterling and Lyons. It is being spearheaded by Rice County Energy Center — an offshoot of the national electricity supply company NextEra Energy Resources.
Essays and letters to the editor from Rice County residents and researchers examining the proposed wind development.
A Three-Part Series on Wind Development in Rice County
Trish Jackson, PhD
March 2026 · Rice County, Kansas
“There is a simple question that should be asked at the start of every conversation about the proposed wind development in Rice County: when those turbines are spinning, where does the electricity go?”
Visual breakdowns of the project scale, economic flow, and how Rice County's proposed turbines compare to landmarks you know.
113 leaseholders total — 61% live outside Rice County. Only 44 leaseholders live in Rice County. (Documentation as of March 2026.)
The proposed NextEra Rice County wind turbine stands 580 ft — compared to the Ellsworth turbine (300 ft), average cell tower (200 ft), and a typical water tower (125 ft).
Voices on Social Media
Videos from neighbors, supporters, and public figures speaking out on the proposed Rice County wind development.
Shared by
John Rich
"The largest electric company in America, Nextera, is planning on building over a hundred 600 ft tall windmills in Rice County, KS. To the farmers in Rice Co: Hold the line! The cavalry is coming."
Shared by
John Rich
John Rich speaks out on the proposed Rice County wind development.