When a turbine reaches the end of its useful life, it can be decommissioned (removed) or retrofitted (“repowered”). Typically, local ordinances require wind projects to submit plans for decommissioning the facility at the project owner’s expense. A decommissioning bond is often posted in favor of the county or local jurisdiction and assessed based on the presumed per-turbine cost of removal. Removal is then the responsibility of the project owner, whether that is the original developer, a utility, or another company that may own and operate the project in the future. If something happens to the project owner’s finances in the future, that decommissioning bond is already in place to provide the resources to remove the turbines once they are no longer in use. If the need to remove a turbine or wind farm does arise, every landowner who signs an agreement with Apex is protected from the cost and burden of decommissioning through a protected financial security outlined and required in the easement agreement. Upon decommissioning, the site must also be restored to the same condition it was in prior to construction.