Calgary, Alberta-based TransAlta Corp. has announced a 66 MW expansion of its Summerview wind farm in southern Alberta. The capital cost of this second phase is estimated at C$123 million. Construction will commence in the second quarter of 2009 with commercial operations expected to begin in the first quarter of 2010. Once the second phase is completed, the Summerview site will have a total installed capacity of 136 MW and will provide on average a total of 395,000 MWh per year.
‘Our experience in the development and construction of wind projects allows us to expand our wind capacity at costs below the Canadian average,’ says Steve Snyder, TranAlta's president and CEO. ‘We have identified the potential to develop an additional 500 MW of wind generation in southern Alberta over the next five years.’
The Summerview expansion will be located adjacent to the original site and will include 22 3 MW V90 Vestas wind turbines. Delivery of the turbines and construction are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2009. TransAlta will serve as its own general contractor and will continue to work with local firms during construction. The project is subject to provincial regulatory and environmental approvals as well as municipal land use permitting.
SOURCE: TransAlta Corp.
