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Proposed Whitla Wind Farm still awaiting commission approval

Jun 6, 2018 | 8:45 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — A proposed wind farm in the Bow Island area is still awaiting approval from the province’s Utilities Commission.

Capital Power’s Whitla Wind Farm was among the four proposed projects announced in December as part of the first phase of the Renewable Electricity Program.

“The commission has informed us that they will be doing a review of written submissions to make a determination of the status of the project,” said Jerry Bellikka, director of government relations with Capital Power, over the phone from Edmonton. “At this stage, there won’t be a verbal hearing, where there’s a big public meeting in front of the AUC. They have determined that there wasn’t a need for it, and they had enough information, so they’re taking written submissions and reviewing them.”

All energy projects need to be approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission before being built. Bellikka says they’re still anticipating a decision will be made by the commission by the fall.

Bellikka adds Capital Power will be in attendance at the County of 40 Mile’s next meeting on June 13, for a public hearing on zoning the land for the project. He says the hearing will see discussion of rezoning part of the project that hadn’t previously been zoned for a wind farm.

If approved, the Whitla Wind Farm would consist of 56 turbines that would provide 201 megawatts of electricity.

Bellikka says Capital Power is hoping to break ground on the project in 2018, with the goal of going online by Fall 2019.