Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Development) and Nigig Power Corp. have announced the completion of the 300 MW Henvey Inlet Wind power facility in Ontario.
Pattern Development and Nigig Power, a wholly owned subsidiary of Henvey Inlet First Nation, are joint venture partners in the facility, which is located on Henvey Inlet First Nation Reserve No. 2 on the northeast shore of the Georgian Bay.
“This landmark project is a first on many fronts: largest single-phase wind facility in Canada, largest on-reserve wind installation in the country, and the first to develop a First Nation Environmental Stewardship Regime under the First Nations Lands Management Act,” states Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Development. “It’s an honor to partner with Henvey Inlet First Nation on this historic project that created hundreds of local jobs and is now providing a strong new source of revenue for the First Nation. Renewables are helping to reduce the impact on our environment caused by climate change, and this new facility is now generating clean, homegrown energy for 100,000 homes each year without any harmful emissions.”
“Now that construction is complete, we can begin to look forward to economic independence as a community,” says Greg Newton, CEO of Nigig Power. “Our youth will see an even brighter future from expanding health and education services, along with increased infrastructure.”
Henvey Inlet Wind uses 87 Vestas 3.45 MW turbines, each with a 136-meter rotor diameter and 132-meter hub height. A 104-kilometer transmission line delivers electricity generated by the facility to the Ontario electricity grid. Henvey Inlet Wind has a 20-year power purchase agreement with the Independent Electricity System Operator for 100% of its production.
“The wind farm’s completion marks a historic moment for Henvey Inlet First Nation,” adds Chief Wayne McQuabbie of Henvey Inlet First Nation. “New infrastructure is under way in the First Nation as a result of this new facility, and we see better days ahead. We’ve already increased our administrative staff and employees in the community, and we look forward to ensuring a positive future for our upcoming generations, including economic spin-offs and job security. As Anishinabek, we are proud to contribute to a green economy and are proactively moving forward in a time of climate change.”
At the peak of construction, there were approximately 1,000 workers on-site. Nearly one-third of construction workers were First Nations citizens. Now operational, Henvey Inlet Wind employs up to 20 permanent full-time staff and is expected to create demand for more than 100 ongoing indirect workers, including maintenance contractors.
The construction process generated approximately C$25 million in direct economic activity for local First Nations businesses. Now, the facility is expected to generate more than C$10 million in income annually for Henvey Inlet First Nation.
Henvey Inlet Wind has made separate commitments to four regions along its transmission line through the establishment of a community benefits program, which will contribute C$1 million to the following four municipalities over the first 20 years of operations: the Municipality of McDougall, Township of Seguin, Township of Carling and Township of the Archipelago.
Henvey Inlet Wind was jointly developed and will continue to be jointly owned and operated by Pattern Development and Henvey Inlet First Nation. Pattern Development owns a 50% interest in the project, as announced last week, and Nigig Power owns the other 50%.
Affiliate company Pattern Energy Group Inc. previously added the Henvey Inlet Wind facility to its list of identified Right of First Offer projects.
