MEDICINE HAT – Capital Power Corporation has released the estimated costs for constructing the Whitla Wind Farm on Thursday.
The Edmonton-based company said the project is expected to cost between $315 million and $325 million.
Capital Power said the 201.6-megawatt project is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2019.
Whitla is one of the projects awarded 20-year contracts guaranteeing a base price by the Alberta government in its first auction of its Renewable Electricity Program.
The other projects will be located near Hanna and Pincher Creek.
The projects, unveiled Wednesday, are expected to produce almost 600 megawatts of green electricity, capable of generating enough power for 255,000 homes.
Overall, the NDP government believes the investments will create 700 construction jobs.
The Southeastern Alberta Economic Development Alliance estimates there will be between 100 and 150 temporary construction jobs for the Whitla project alone.
There will likely be around 10 permanent positions when it’s up and running.
The EDA said there will also be a large impact to other businesses.
Theresa Hardiker said cement and gravel companies will be kept busy, and so will hotels and service industries during the construction.
“Southeast Alberta is going to see the impact as a whole,” Hardiker explained. “The city of Medicine Hat is of course the largest centre of influence within our region, but overall I think we’re going to find large impact all the way through.”
The province says the projects will also pay over $1 million dollars in royalties to landowners each year.
The province is in the process of developing the next rounds of the program. More details on that are expected in early 2018.
