Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Development) has announced the completion of its 147 MW Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind facility in Québec.
Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind is located approximately 50 kilometers south of Québec City in the Chaudière-Appalaches region. As announced in June 2017, the facility will be acquired by Pattern Energy Group Inc. (Pattern Energy) and PSP Investments. Closing is expected in the coming weeks.
The facility is using 46 Siemens Gamesa 3.2 MW direct-drive wind turbines with components made in Canada. The turbine hubs were provided by Québec-based Group FabDelta, and the towers were manufactured by Marmen at the company’s facility in Matane, Québec. The turbine blades were manufactured in Ontario.
More than 350 workers were employed on-site at the peak of construction activity, and Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind has approximately 10 permanent employees for ongoing operations and maintenance, in addition to a number of local contractors. The project was constructed by Borea Construction under the supervision of Pattern Development’s construction management team.
According to Pattern, the project is bringing more than C$775,000 annually to the municipalities of Sacré-Coeur-de-Jésus, Saint-Sylvestre and Saint-Séverin, which are stakeholders in the facility and active participants in its development.
The facility operates under a 25-year power purchase agreement with Hydro-Québec Distribution, and it is expected to generate enough power for approximately 28,000 Québec homes annually. The site, located on one of the higher elevations in southern Québec, has one of the strongest wind resources in the region, notes Pattern.
“The successful completion of our first project in Québec brings our total operational capacity in Canada to 1,533 MW, making Pattern the largest wind power producer in the country with nine facilities across four provinces,” says Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Development. “Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind brought strong economic benefits to the Beauce region through its use of local construction workers from Québec and Siemens Gamesa wind turbines with locally sourced components, supporting manufacturers in the province. Going forward, the facility will generate millions of dollars for our community partners, the municipalities of Sacré-Coeur-de-Jésus, Saint-Sylvestre and Saint-Séverin.”
