Enel Green Power connects two new wind farms near Pincher Creek
By Jensen, Randy on May 27, 2020.
LETHBRIDGE HERALD – PINCHER CREEK
Representing an investment of over $210 million, Enel Green Power has connected its 105 MW Riverview and 29.4 MW Castle Rock Ridge II wind farms in Pincher Creek to the grid.
The company also operates the 76.2 MW Castle Rock Ridge I wind farm in Pincher Creek, which began operations in 2012, for an overall portfolio of more than 210 MW in Canada.
“In a time of serious economic uncertainty, our dedication to building projects that generate value for the entire community remains as strong as ever,” said Georgios Papadimitriou, head of Enel Green Power North America, in a news release. “We are glad to expand our presence in Alberta and support the province’s economic growth and sustainability commitments.”
The Castle Rock Ridge II and Riverview wind farms will supply their net power output and renewable energy credits to the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) under two 20-year Renewable Energy Support Agreements (RESAs), awarded in 2017 through a tender launched by AESO. Located in the town of Pincher Creek, the wind farms are expected to generate around 493 GWh annually, avoiding approximately 335,500 tons of CO2 emissions per year. Over their lifetimes, the projects are expected to generate over $25 million in combined tax revenue for public services and lease payments to landowners.
In the final stages of construction, Enel closely monitored the emergent COVID-19 pandemic and responded to protect the health of its workers and the community. While abiding by the guidance of public officials, the company implemented strict travel guidelines and enhanced sanitation, as crews implemented safe working habits and physical distancing instructions.
Furthermore, Enel North America announced over US$1.3 million in contributions to relief efforts across the U.S. and Canada, including a $10,000 contribution to the Town of Pincher Creek Family and Community Support Services and a $10,000 contribution to Piikani Resource Development Essential Emergency Package for local businesses and food security services.
Enel North America also plans to support the economy by moving forward with its 2020 hiring plan developed ahead of the pandemic. The company is looking to fill 75 open positions and expects to add another 200 new roles across its business lines over the course of the year.
Enel Green Power North America is a leading owner and operator of renewable energy plants in North America, with a presence in 19 U.S. states and one Canadian province. The company operates over 80 plants with a managed capacity of around 5.8 GW powered by renewable wind, hydropower, geothermal and solar energy.
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This is a proven uneconomic, inefficient, and non-environmentally friendly investment that steals our money to send elsewhere, at least doubles our cost of electricity due to its need for equivalent backup power (plus the cost to tie it in), and reduces the reliability of our power! Hokey dinah! How stupid. Plus wind turbines have a life of only 15-25 years compared to oil/gas/coal plants lasting upwards of 50 years and nuclear even longer. Who pays for that abandonment in 15-20 years? Will it be the farmers or native bands being paid to host the towers or will it be you and me? What about the loss of grasslands? The vast numbers of birds, bats to be sacrificed? The minerals, gas, oil and byproducts consumed, and pollution emitted, in the creation and transport of these turbines? Enel is an Italian multinational company. Paid $210million to construct 134.4MW of wind power generation or $1,562.5 per MW. Plus the cost to our electrical gathering system to tie it in. Plus the about $134 million cost of the required equal quantity of fast-start generating capacity that is required to be constructed to operate (inefficently due to being on/off) to back it up when winds drop. World windpower struggles to attain a 20% online efficiency factor so Enel’s 42% to generate 493GW per year seems a reach even for the windy Pincher Creek area. Just pure craziness.