High Wire Act
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Nicholas Johnson—with feet firmly on the ground—helps stabilize another section of a tower under construction as two men at the 180 foot height move the metal piece into position—so they can bolt it on and climb up further. The meteorological tower which went up November 16 on the Graham Hager land 36 kilometres north east of Provost is being used by a private firm to monitor the amount and type of wind that is being produced from atop a hill. Another test tower was put up to the northwest of this one. When the two workers at the top were done they had a grand view from a height of 260 feet. ©Provost News Photo.
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Wind Firm Puts Up Monitoring Towers
• Aiming For 50 Turbines
A firm called Windlab Developments has put up two towers in the area north of Hayter in anticipation of eventually establishing a network of large turbines to generate electricity.
One of the test sites is on the Graham Hager land north east of Hayter while the other is at the Grant Giggs property northwest of Hager’s.
The newly-erected towers are 80 metres tall (260 feet) and are equipped with sensing equipment to measure the volume, strength and flow of wind in that area. Data collected will be transmitted to a remote location to be analyzed.
Windlab is an international company with offices in Australia, South Africa, United States and Canada (Calgary). The company was established in 2003.
Gavin Low for Windlab Developments said from his Calgary office in a telephone conversation that they are making applications for work permits and for an electrical grid connection as well as preparing plans for municipal and provincial permits to put up wind turbines.
He said that the firm is looking at approximately 50 turbines to be erected in the area calling the wind a “good resource here.”
He added that although the amount of wind is not the same as southern Alberta it “is fairly good.”
He expects that they will generate 100 megawatts of power after harnessing the wind.
Low adds that it will take two to two and one half years for the project to start producing if all goes as planned.
It is unknown at this time if other firms are looking to also put up wind turbines in the area but an Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) representative Doug Downs of Calgary told The Provost News in an interview on Thursday, October 8 (see PN Oct. 14) in town that “there is a need to inter-connect an expected 350 megawatts of wind power development— originating in the Provost area—to meet the increased expected power demand from planned oil and gas pipeline” activity over the next 10 years. He said at the time that an estimated 125 to 150 wind turbines are being planned to be built in the Provost area to help meet an expected growing demand for energy. He declined to name what private company or companies have expressed an interest in putting up the massive steel turbines.
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The demand for power in this area is expected to jump “four-fold” during the upcoming decade as compared to historical demand.
Province-wide there are 560 megawatts of energy currently being powered by wind.
Complete story in November 25 edition of The Provost News.
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Christmas Activities to be Curtailed at Nursing Home Due to H1N1 Scare
An annual Christmas party with dinner and an annual Christmas tea and bake sale have been cancelled at the Provost Nursing Home because of concern over the spreading of the H1N1 disease.
Two new events however are being planned by staff to be held later.
Full story in November 25 edition of The Provost News.
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Girl Guides Have Sleepover—Send Messages to UN Climate Change Conference
Full story and photo in November 25 edition of The Provost News.
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Street Spokesman
This week we ask: "What Do You Like Best About the New Recreation Centre?"
. . . and we heard answers from Michelle Power, Neil Whiting, Melanie Pilgaard and Ken Knox. Check out the November 25 edition of The Provost News for their answers.
Want to Subscribe to The Provost News? Click here. |
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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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