Northrop Grumman has been granted a 10-year tax exemption on a portion of the $75 million the shipbuilder spent primarily on Hurricane Katrina repairs.

Officials say the company will save $1.5 million. Jackson County supervisors approved the exemption Tuesday.

Even with an exemption, Northrop pays all the school taxes and about a third of the county taxes.

The exemption was based on $34 million and not the total $75 million the company spent. The company, with 11,000 workers, is the county’s largest employer.