Major wind-power facility opens .............................
Julie Folk, Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, June 15, 2006
canada.com
NEAR SWIFT CURRENT -- The next time a violent Saskatchewan wind hits, don't complain too loudly -- the wind may be powering your home.
Environment Minister John Nilson officially opened the Centennial Wind Power Facility on Wednesday. The facility is located 25 kilometres southeast of Swift Current.
The project is part of SaskPower's Green Power Portfolio to provide safe, reliable power in an environmentally responsible and cost-effective way, said Pat Youzwa, president and CEO of SaskPower.
The project is the largest operating wind-power facility in Canada, with 83 wind turbines providing 150 megawatts of electricity -- or enough to power 64,000 Saskatchewan homes.
Funding for the project came from the provincial government, which invested $272 million in the project, and from the federal government, which is to spend $54 million on the project over the next 10 years.
Construction began on the wind turbines in 2003 by SaskPower, SaskPower International and Hitachi Canadian Industries Ltd.
"We're celebrating an historic investment in the future of Saskatchewan," said Peter Prebble, the legislative secretary for global energy development and conservation.
At a luncheon in Swift Current for the opening of the project, Prebble spoke of the need to decrease greenhouse gases and build a more sustainable environment in order to create a better future.
"Our vision as a government is that by the third decade of this century, one-third of all the energy used in Saskatchewan, from all sources, will come from renewables," he said.
Youzwa said that after taking some time to assess how much additional wind generation could be added to the province, locations and possible further projects may be developed.
SaskPower estimated that construction of the facility had a multi-million-dollar impact on Saskatchewan's economy.
Youzwa said the wind facility will fit well in the southwest's industries of agriculture, ranching, energy and tourism.
Progress on construction was halted in June last year when a tornado struck the area, bringing down one of the two cranes operating on the site. Building continued when a new crane was found.
Land is leased out by 28 farmers in the area to build turbines on, for about $2,200 a year per turbine. Farmers can still grow crops around the wind turbines, and livestock can graze underneath.
The wind-power facility also created 12 new jobs operating and maintaining the wind turbines.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2006 |
