The Government of Prince Edward Island has given approval to the PEI Energy Corporation to proceed with final design and development of a 30-megawatt wind farm at the eastern end of the Island.
Frontier Power Systems was the successful bidder in the request for proposals for project design services issued earlier this year. Minister of Environment, Energy and Forestry Jamie Ballem said the firm has completed preliminary design and costing estimates and the project will now move to the detailed design stage.
At the same time, Minister Ballem said the Energy Corporation will issue a request for proposals in the coming weeks for the financing of the capital costs of the wind farm project, which are estimated at $55 million. A request for information on financing which was issued this past spring garnered 10 responses and there have been numerous inquiries since then.
“There has been strong interest in financing the project – because of the excellent wind resource PEI boasts and the requirement under the Renewable Energy Act for Island utilities to have 15 percent of electrical energy from renewables by 2010,” said Minister Ballem. “The request for proposals will allow us to select the most favourable financing package for Islanders.”
The Province continues to work out the details of the investment mechanism that will allow every Islander the opportunity to invest in the wind farm project and have a stake in their own energy future.
Minister Ballem said the Energy Corporation has also started the environmental assessment work for the project. A biologist has been gathering local data and carrying out studies to measure the potential impacts on the bird population, which is traditionally the main concern related to wind farm developments.
Subject to the preliminary findings of this work, the Energy Corporation will proceed with initial site preparation this fall. The wind farm project is subject to the provincial environmental impact assessment process. There will be a public consultation meeting as part of that process once the detailed environmental assessment studies are completed.
Minister Ballem and Andy Mooney, MLA for District 1 – Souris-Elmira, will host a public meeting Tuesday, October 4, to update area residents on the wind farm project and the potential benefits to landowners and the community.
Construction is tentatively scheduled to start in the spring of 2006. The Energy Corporation has been working with Maritime Electric to ensure the transmission infrastructure is in place to have the wind farm in operation in the fall of 2006.