Alberta seeks input on turbine, schedule changes for Wild Rose wind projects

October 21, 2016 Barry Cassell Generation

The Alberta Utilities Commission issued a pair of Oct. 21 notices about changes that NaturEner Canada wants to make to prior commission approvals for the companion Wild Rose 1 and Wild Rose 2 wind projects.

NaturEner Wild Rose 1 Energy Inc. has applied to amend the Wild Rose 1 Wind Power Project in the Cypress Country area. The approved Wild Rose 1 Wind Power Project consists of a 210-MW wind farm and a substation. NaturEner has proposed to replace 70 Alstom 3-MW turbines with 68 Siemens 3.2-MW turbines for a total generating capability of 217.6 MW. NaturEner also applied to extend the construction completion date of the project from July 17, 2017, to March 31, 2019. NaturEner submitted that the proposed changes would result in:

  • A 15% decrease in the number of turbines located on native pasture.

  • 59 new turbines remaining within 50 or fewer meters from their approved turbine coordinates.

  • Seven new turbines being located between 50 and 1,000 meters from their approved turbine coordinates.

  • Two new turbines being located further than 1,000 (up to 3,001) meters from their approved turbine coordinates.

  • The new turbines would have a hub height of 92.5 meters and a rotor diameter of 113 meters.

  • No change in the project area.

NaturEner Wild Rose 2 Energy Inc. has applied to amend the Wild Rose 2 Wind Power Project in the Cypress County area. The approved Wild Rose 2 Wind Power Project consists of a 189-MW facility and a substation. NaturEner proposed to replace 63 Alstom 3-MW turbines with 60 Siemens 3.2-MW turbines for a total generating capability of 192 MW. NaturEner also requested to extend the construction completion date of the project from Dec. 31, 2016, to Dec. 31, 2018. NaturEner submitted that the proposed changes would result in:

  • An eight per cent decrease in the number of turbines located on native pasture.

  • 43 new turbines remaining within 50 or fewer meters from the approved turbine coordinates.

  • Ten new turbines being located between 50 and 1,000 meters from their approved turbine coordinates.

  • Seven new turbines being located further than 1,000 (up to 7,139) meters from their approved turbine coordinates.

  • The new turbines would have a hub height of 92.5 meters and a rotor diameter of 113 meters.

  • A four per cent increase in the project area.

Written comments on both applications are due by Nov. 14.

A project contact for both companies is: Lois Gill, phone 403-705-0690, lgill@naturener.ca.

About Barry Cassell 20414 Articles
Barry Cassell is Chief Analyst for GenerationHub covering coal and emission controls issues, projects and policy. He has covered the coal and power generation industry for more than 24 years, beginning in November 2011 at GenerationHub and prior to that as editor of SNL Energy’s Coal Report. He was formerly with Coal Outlook for 15 years as the publication’s editor and contributing writer, and prior to that he was editor of Coal & Synfuels Technology and associate editor of The Energy Report. He has a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University.
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