Multi-million-dollar expansion of Saskatchewan wind power

Seven more wind turbines will soon be supplying zero emission electricity to Saskatchewan GreenPower customers, due to a $10.2-million expansion of SaskPower’s Cypress Wind Power Facility.

GreenPower has been available to all SaskPower customers since April 2002. The company quantifies the 100-kilowatt hour block, available for $2.50 per month, as about enough electricity for 20 loads of laundry, or enough to operate two farmyard lights for a month. The premium offsets the higher costs to produce GreenPower, compared to coal or natural gas electrical generation. Each block of GreenPower is estimated to provide the same positive environmental impact as planting 200 trees.

The new turbines are expected to be in service by December 2004. To be purchased from Vestas Canadian Wind Technologies, the turbine towers will be constructed at the Hitachi Canadian Industries facility in Saskatoon.

SaskPower’s nine-turbine Cypress Wind Power Facility is located near Gull Lake and currently produces six megawatts (MW) of EcoLogo certified renewable electricity. When this expansion is complete, Saskatchewan will have approximately 22 MW of GreenPower, enough to meet the needs of 9,000 households.

SaskPower International is currently reviewing expressions of interest from private sector parties to enter into joint venture arrangements as the corporation develops up to 150 megawatts of wind generation in Saskatchewan.

For further information, contact Larry Christie at 306-566-3167 or lchristie@saskpower.com

(For further information about alternative energy sources, see the Cover Story of the August/September edition.)