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Project manager for Gale Force Energy, Dave Courtney:
“Either you have the wind or you don’t.” |
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Massive Wind Farm For Area Studied
100 to 200 Turbines at One Site Alone
A massive wind farm project for either—or all of the Metiskow, Czar and Amisk areas is seriously being pursued by a Canadian company that has a partnership with California’s Padoma Wind Power.
Gale Force Energy’s representative Dave Courtney spoke to The Provost News on Friday from Kenora, Ont. in a telephone interview about the privately financed plans.
The project manager says they have been looking at Metiskow for their project and he has met “upwards of 100 people” in the area over the last year and a half to see if they would be welcomed. He has received “no negative comments.”
An estimated 20,000 acres of land right beside and surrounding Metiskow would be involved to erect the giant turbines to generate electricity.
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Another possible site for the project would be west of Czar while another option would be north of Amisk. But, says Courtney it’s not out of the question to eventually develop all three areas.
Each of the projects would be capable of generating between 100 to 200 megawatts of electricity and each site would be as large as the largest wind farms built in Canada so far. If all three sites were developed it would “be a huge construction project . . . that is a possibility.”
Depending on the model of wind turbine used, a single project would use 100 to 200 turbines and the investment would be in the $200 million range.
The power would be sold into Alberta’s electrical grid and could wind up being used in Lloydminster, Calgary, Edmonton, or wherever power was required.
More study and arrangements for rental of land will be needed before the project will go ahead.
Gale Force Energy wants to hire a local person to negotiate land arrangements, public meetings and “to champion (the project) to move it forward.” They have been talking to one person but an agreement has not yet been reached.
The company has already done some testing of the wind through satellites and Environment Canada but they want more detailed information so plan to erect assessment towers this spring to measure the wind.
The test towers will be 60 metres (196 feet) high and then a long range calculation will be done to see if the project makes economic sense. Six months to a year after the test towers provide data, the firm will have a good idea if they should proceed.
Gale Force Energy has been studying this area for two years and the three geographic areas have been tentatively picked because of the kind of “wind resource.”
“Either you have the wind or you don’t.” The company measured wind near Metiskow, Amisk and Czar and east of Metiskow and also discovered that it drops off significantly as it moves toward Provost. He said wind development could take place by someone at Provost but “the higher the wind the more chance of it being developed” and being more economical. “We are looking for wind.”
The wind turbines vary in height from 50 metres (164 feet) to 124 metres (400 feet) tall. The smaller units are made of rolled steel while the tall units are made of concrete. The blades are usually a fibreglas and wood composite.
Rest of story in April 5 edition of The Provost News.
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Provost Puts Welcome Mat Out Across Saskatchewan, Alberta
Story in April 5 edition of The Provost News.
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1919 Hurstbourne School —Gone
Photos and story in April 5 edition of The Provost News.
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Street Spokesman
This week we ask : "What Message Does Easter Bring Us?"
. . . and we heard opinions from Pastor Andy Wiebe, Rev. Joselito cantal , Pastor Robert Cottrill, Pastor Paul Mccormick, and Rev. Jung-Hyun Shin.
Check out the April 5 edition of The Provost News for their answers.
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This, along with many other stories and pictures can be found in this week's edition of The Provost News.
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