Cypress County approves pair of major green energy projects

The wind project has a capacity up to 187 megawatts, making it the largest wind or solar generation project the company has completed.

Sohail Aslam, senior project manager, said they hope to start work on the sites in August.

“Access roads, the entrances from the public roads on to the private access roads, wind turbine foundations as well as the crane pads which are required to complete the installation works on wind turbines and also receive deliveries of the turbines and start installing them again, weather dependent because that work is very sensitive to high winds,” Aslam said.

Aslam added the hope is to install as many turbines as possible this year and then carry on throughout the winter at a slower pace, weather permitting.

The company expects to have construction completed by the third quarter of 2025.

Expected during peak construction are 175 to 200 workers.

Calgary based Metis Nation Power Authority is taking on a three mega watt solar project located north of Seven Persons.

The solar panel installation is a second phase to the one mega watt solar project previously competed in the area.

Garrett Vouri, manager of operation said the support they have had from the county has been great.

“We can have all the approval from AUC and AEP and all that stuff and have all that done,” Vouri said.

“If we don’t have county approval, then it’s kinda stuck. That being said, the county has been absolutely tremendous. They’ve been able to work with us and, help us kind of mediate tiny little things.”

Vouri said they are currently prepping the site, getting things allocated like materials before they hope to start the anticipated 200 day construction period.

A Government of Canada release from 2023 had estimated 24 total construction jobs for both phases of the project which covers 20 acres of land.

by Jesse Gill

Cypress County approves pair of major green energy projects

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