BHE Canada announced it will break ground on a new wind farm in southeast Alberta next year. The subsidiary company of Berkshire Hathaway Energy says its $200 million project will provide low-cost, clean energy for Albertans.
According to BHE Canada, the new 117.6 MW Rattlesnake Ridge Wind project will be located southwest of Medicine Hat and will produce enough energy to supply the equivalent of 79,000 homes.
“The Rattlesnake Ridge Wind project is a leader in the development of new grid-scale wind generation in Alberta, being constructed and operated without government subsidies,” said William Christensen, Vice President Corporate Development of BHE Canada.
Christensen added “BHE Canada is excited to take this first step into the Alberta market, providing low-cost, renewable energy. We’re looking forward to more opportunities to invest in Alberta’s energy industry.”
The Calgary-based company says it has entered into a long-term power purchase agreement for the majority of the energy output from the project with a large Canadian corporate partner.
“Alberta is proud to be home to so many great innovators and entrepreneurs who see the opportunity that exists when people choose to invest and create jobs here,” said Alberta Premier Jason Kenney.
Privately financed by BHE Canada through a combination of equity and debt, the more than $200 million project is under development by RES, which will also provide construction and asset management services. RES built the 150 MW Halkirk Wind project in east-central Alberta.
“RES is delighted to partner with BHE Canada to leverage our expertise and experience to bear in delivering clean renewable power to Alberta,” said Graham Reid, CEO of RES in the Americas.
The Rattlesnake Ridge Wind project is expected to provide approximately 150 jobs at peak construction during the approximately 18-month schedule.
Once the project is complete, the wind farm will generate electricity from up to 28 wind turbines and is expected to provide approximately 475 GWh per year. Rattlesnake Ridge Wind is expected to begin generating energy for Alberta’s grid in December, 2021.
BHE Canada and RES have also permitted the Forty Mile Wind Farm in the County of 40 Mile in southeastern Alberta and are looking for partners in long-term power purchase agreements. This project will have a generation capacity of 398.5 MW, potentially making it the largest wind power project in Canada, and is located on approximately 40,000 acres of privately-owned land, roughly five kilometres east of the town of Bow Island.
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