ST. PAUL - Northland Power is moving forward with the public engagement portion of a wind turbine energy generation project in the County of St. Paul with an open house planned for Nov. 16 in St. Paul.
Additionally, area residents living within 2 km of where the Pihew Waciy Wind project is planned for development, will receive a newsletter in their mailboxes this week from the company, according to Chris Stanton, Senior Manager of Development for Northland Power.
“The Pihew Waciy Wind project is bounded on the east by Range Road 71 and Kehewin Lake and on the west by Range Road 75, with Highway 29 running through the middle of the area from east-west,” states information in the newsletter, supplied to Lakeland Today by Stanton.
“The project would interconnect into the electrical transmission system by tapping into the high-voltage line that runs north-south alongside Range Road 72.”
The newsletter includes a map indicating the potential positioning of wind turbines as well as a substation and operations and maintenance building. Information presented indicates the project will consist of up to 35 turbines. Locations of the underground electrical collections system, connecting the turbines to the substation, have not been established.
The turbine design has also not been finalized, however information in the newsletter states the company will seek permission “to install a turbine with a generator (hub) height as high as 127.5m, with the blade tip reaching as high as 200m.”
Each turbine is expected to “produce between four and six megawatts (MW) of electricity for a total project size of 130 MW.”
Also, according to information in the newsletter, Northland Power is working with the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) to obtain permits to begin construction.
On Friday, AUC spokesman Geoff Scotton told Lakeland Today, “The AUC has yet to receive an application for this project.”
The AUC’s rules, specifically AUC Rule 007, “require proponents to consult with local landowners, etc. to identify issues and attempt to resolve them as the company works to finalize any proposal and before applying. An application is required to include the outcomes from such an engagement process, outline the issues found and where concerns could not be resolved,” Scotton noted.
County of St. Paul CAO Sheila Kitz confirmed the municipality is aware Northland Power is “working through the AUC process for their proposed wind power project in the County of St. Paul. As part of this process, they are required to have public consultation regarding the project.”
In its newsletter, Northland Power cites several economic benefits to the community if construction goes ahead. These include, “additional municipal taxes in the multiple millions over the life of the facility, which can be used as a new source of funds for needed capital infrastructure and municipal facilities/services across the community.”
Northland Power also notes up to 150 construction jobs will be available during the peak of construction with construction projected to occur in the spring, summer and fall of 2024, and possibly extending into the summer of 2025.
Four to six permanent jobs for ongoing operations and maintenance are forecast once the project is up and running.
Also included in its list of “economic benefits” is reference to revenue for participating landowners on a “multi-decade” basis for their properties.
It’s been more than six years since talk began circulating among landowners in the County that they were being approached by land agents looking to secure land for a wind power project. Last winter, it became apparent that land agents were once again in the area seeking lease agreements with landowners for turbine positioning.
The Nov. 16 open house will be held in St. Paul’s Reunion Station, 4112-53 Ave., between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
