Wheatland County has given municipal approval for two major wind power developers, for two separate farms that will dot the Wintering Hills, located southwest of Dalum.
Greengate Power Corp. and Suncor Energy Inc. both were approved by the county, on December 9 and January 13 respectively, bringing the approximately 166 turbines one step closer to becoming a reality.
Both Suncor and Greengate still need to seek provincial approval by attaining permits through the Alberta Utilities Commission.
The plateau of grazing and cultivated land being used for the project is northeast of the intersections of Highway 56 and Highway 584, 20-30 kilometres south of Dalum.
The combined projects will power over 80,000 Alberta homes a year.
Greengate’s project alone will offset 200,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year, according to President Dan Balaban.
Greengate Power Corp. and Suncor Energy Inc. both were approved by the county, on December 9 and January 13 respectively, bringing the approximately 166 turbines one step closer to becoming a reality.
Both Suncor and Greengate still need to seek provincial approval by attaining permits through the Alberta Utilities Commission.
The plateau of grazing and cultivated land being used for the project is northeast of the intersections of Highway 56 and Highway 584, 20-30 kilometres south of Dalum.
The combined projects will power over 80,000 Alberta homes a year.
Greengate’s project alone will offset 200,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year, according to President Dan Balaban.
“This project is a major investment in Wheatland. The county receives business tax, local jobs are created (both in construction and operation), and the turbines will provide clean energy, which is sold back into the power grid to provide energy across Alberta.
Balaban said there were three factors that caused the company to decide to pour $300-350 million into the Wintering Hills project.
There is a sufficient source of energy, the geography of the Wintering Hills provides consistently strong winds. A transmission line runs through the middle of the designated farm land, and the last factor being the company has received good support from the community.
Greengate held its latest open house in Dalum in June of 2008, and Suncor held theirs in November of last year, both receiving positive feedback from the farming community.
“It is a well advanced project,” said Balaban. “We finished the environmental impact study last year,” and Balaban told The Mail that if all goes to plan the construction of the wind farm could start as early as 2010 or as late as 2011. Construction typically lasts about a year.
Suncor’s project is planned to wrap up in the Fall of 2010.
“We have had all our concerns met here, council thought it was a good project so they gave their approval,” said Mike Ziehr, Development Officer with Wheatland County.
Ziehr said he was excited about the project, “it is a really neat project, for sure.”
Balaban said there were three factors that caused the company to decide to pour $300-350 million into the Wintering Hills project.
There is a sufficient source of energy, the geography of the Wintering Hills provides consistently strong winds. A transmission line runs through the middle of the designated farm land, and the last factor being the company has received good support from the community.
Greengate held its latest open house in Dalum in June of 2008, and Suncor held theirs in November of last year, both receiving positive feedback from the farming community.
“It is a well advanced project,” said Balaban. “We finished the environmental impact study last year,” and Balaban told The Mail that if all goes to plan the construction of the wind farm could start as early as 2010 or as late as 2011. Construction typically lasts about a year.
Suncor’s project is planned to wrap up in the Fall of 2010.
“We have had all our concerns met here, council thought it was a good project so they gave their approval,” said Mike Ziehr, Development Officer with Wheatland County.
Ziehr said he was excited about the project, “it is a really neat project, for sure.”
