Construction of the 99 MW Talbot Wind Energy Project near Chatham will be undertaken by RES Canada in partnership with Enbridge, the majority partner. The facility is expected to be completed in one year at a cost of CA$285 million, and will generate 300 GWh of wind energy a year from 43 Siemens 2.3 MW turbines.
“The positive steps the Ontario government is taking to encourage and support a thriving renewable energy industry, combined with our existing presence through the 190 MW Enbridge Ontario Wind Project, make the Talbot Wind Energy Project an excellent fit with Enbridge's strategy to expand its renewable energy platform across Canada and the US," says Enbridge president Patrick Daniel.
“Investing in renewable energy diversifies our business and further strengthens our financial position with stable cash flow, attractive returns and reduced business risk.”
RES Canada will construct the wind farm under a fixed price, turnkey, engineering, procurement and construction agreement. Siemens will provide operations and maintenance services for the wind turbines under a five-year fixed-price agreement. The facility will deliver its green power to the Ontario Power Authority under a Renewable Energy Supply 20-year power purchase agreement.
Enbridge has four wind farms and one solar project, with a combined capacity of 380 MW. Its share of power generated by its wind facilities in the provinces of Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan provides green energy to meet the equivalent of 35% of the power requirements of the company's Canadian crude oil mainline.
The Talbot Wind Energy Project marks RES Canada's arrival in the Canadian renewable energy market with its first fully-integrated wind project. The project will create 300 construction jobs and 8 direct operation jobs, and will spend CA$50m a year in local capital expenditure and another CA$7m a year in operating costs. The local municipality will receive CA$280,000 in tax payments each year.
"The Talbot Wind Energy Project will advance Enbridge's commitment to an environmentally neutral footprint by 2015 while generating attractive economics,” adds Daniel.
Enbridge operates the world's longest crude oil and liquids transportation system, and is involved in hybrid fuel cells and carbon dioxide sequestration. It owns and operates Canada's largest natural gas distribution company, and provides distribution services in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State.
RES Americas is a vertically-integrated wind energy company with 4 GW of capacity in projects, representing 14% of the US wind energy capacity. RES Canada has been active since 2003, and brings 25 years of wind experience to the Canadian wind industry from its mother company.
