North Dakota’s congressional delegation Friday announced an Arizona company has been awarded more than $7 million in tax credits to build a new wind tower manufacturing plant in Bismarck.

But it’s not a done deal, officials say.

The announcement came in the form of a joint news release through Sen. Byron Dorgan’s office along with Sen. Kent Conrad and Rep. Earl Pomeroy.

According to the release, the $7.07 million in tax credits to Schuff Steel will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The announcement was part of a $2.3 billion in recovery act funds the White House awarded for 183 clean energy manufacturing projects in 43 states.

Russ Steiger, executive director of the Bismarck Mandan Development Association, said negotiations with Schuff Steel Co. of Phoenix have been going on for about 10 months to locate the manufacturing plant here.

Steiger said the plant, which could employ from 275 to 300 workers, could manufacture up to 300 wind turbine towers a year. The facility would not build the turbines, he said.

As far as specific plans, he said there are still many particulars to iron out, such as location, before any deal is finalized.

Steiger said the Bobcat  Manufacturing plant building would not fit the needs of the company. Because of the dimensions of the towers, he said a new building 150 feet wide by 650 feet in length would be needed.

The Northern Plains Commerce Centre north of the Bismarck Airport would be the most logical place to build, he said.

“The commerce center would seem to be an ideal location,” Steiger said. He said there is land available that would fit the bill.

“At this point we’re still working out those details.”

Steiger said one of the things Schuff Steel looked at when deciding on Bismarck was workforce availability.

He said a lot of the jobs at the wind tower plant would mirror the jobs lost at the Bobcat plant — welders, machinists and tool and die workers.

Bobcat closed its plant in Bismarck and laid off 475 workers at the end of 2009.

Stegier said if the project is a go, construction could begin this spring, with the hiring process beginning about six months later.

Don Canton, spokesman for Gov. John Hoeven, said state officials have been working on bringing the company and the plant to Bismarck since May.

But Canton said it’s not a done deal as of yet. “It’s my understanding they (Schuff Steel) are not ready to make an announcement yet,” Canton said.

He said Schuff officials have visited Bismarck twice since May, once in July and once in September, meeting with state agencies like the tax department, commerce department and job service.

“Obviously we  would like to see them come but it’s our understanding they are still a ways off from making a decision.

“Obviously we feel we offer a great package in North Dakota,” Canton said.

An official reached at the company said he was not ready to talk about any plans in Bismarck. Multiple voice mail messages to other people in the company were not returned.

(Reach reporter Brian Gehring 250-8254 or brian.gehring@bismarcktribune.com.)