TOWN OF CARLTON, WI (WTAQ) - The Kewaunee County Board has called an emergency meeting for Wednesday at 7 p.m. to talk about the challenging of an assessment by the owner of the Kewaunee Power Station.
The nuclear plant's owner is fighting an assessment of its property valuation that may double what it has to pay the government.
Dominion did not pay property taxes on the generating facilities while the plant was operational. Instead, it made a utility tax payment to the state of Wisconsin. In turn, the state made payments to Kewaunee County and the Town of Carlton.
According to Carlton town clerk Linda Sinkula, those payments totaled about $4 million per year.
Dominion's Mark Kanz says in 2013, the town received $356,631, while the county received $713,262.
Under state law, those payments must decrease by 20 percent over 5 years. However, the town could assess the property and levy regular property taxes. Any such payments would have to be deducted from the state's payment.
Sinkula says that the Town of Carlton's assessment put the property's value at $502,424,800. She estimates that would be a tax bill to Dominion of around $8 million annually combined to the county, town, public school and technical school district.
Dominion has filed six objections to the assessments, arguing the total value of the property is $1,559,600. The company also says that three of the properties have no taxable value.
Sinkula says on Tuesday night town officials set the contested appeals hearing for September 20.
Kanz says his company wants to agree to a negotiated settlement over the value of its property. Dominion paid $219 million for the plant back in 2005.
Kewaunee County Board Chairman Ron Heuer has called an emergency meeting for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the administration building. Officials with the state Department of Revenue will also be there.
(Additional reporting from FOX 11).