Illinois lawmakers and energy executives announced a 25,000-acre wind farm stretching across Christian and Montgomery counties that officials said could bring hundreds of construction jobs to the area.

The plan would create a 300-megawatt wind farm with 150 to 200 turbines on 25,000 acres. It would power tens of thousands of homes. Officials of Dominion, the Virginia-based energy company proposing the project, estimated that it would bring in about $1 million annually in tax revenue to be split between the two counties.

The heart of Montgomery County is 50 miles from St. Louis, with Christian County 30 miles further.

Dominion officials said landowners on whose properties turbines, transmission lines or substations are located would receive regular long-term income of about $3,000 to $4,000 per year. Advertisement

It also would create about 300 temporary construction jobs as well as 15 to 20 permanent positions for the region.

"This project's possible long-term economic benefits to our area as well as the environment cannot be understated," said state Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield, in a prepared statement.

Scot Hathaway, vice president for business development at Dominion, said the project would provide both environmental and economic benefits.

"Wind power is proving to be an important" resource, said Hathaway, "one that is not dependent on foreign oil and subject to rising fuel costs."

Construction on the project, to be named Prairie Fork Wind Farm, is supposed to begin in 2010. Dominion executives hope to have it operational by 2011. They estimate the project would power about 325,000 homes.