Acciona Wind Energy Canada, a subsidiary of Spain's Acciona SA, has announced that, along with partner Suncor Energy Products, it has started full-scale construction on a 76MW wind power project near Ripley, Ontario.
The Ontario Energy Board recently granted regulatory approval for the wind farm’s two substations and transmission line, completing the project’s key regulatory requirements.
The Ripley wind power project will include 38 2MW Enercon wind turbines, a transmission line and two electrical substations. The wind farm is located on the eastern shores of Lake Huron in Huron-Kinloss Township, approximately 220 kilometres west of Toronto.
The project is expected to have the capacity to generate enough zero-emission electricity to power 24,000 homes and offset approximately 66,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Project cost is estimated at approximately C$176 million.
The farm is the result of the Ontario government’s request for proposals to supply approximately 1,000MW of renewable energy. The Ontario government aims to produce 10% of the province’s electricity from renewable sources by 2010.
Construction is expected to be completed this summer, with wind farm commissioning anticipated for late 2007.
Ripley is a significant part of our strategy to increase Acciona’s presence in Canada, and to collaborate in the development of wind power in this country. We are excited to assist the Ontario government in meeting its renewable energy commitment, said Alberto de Miguel, Acciona’s executive director of corporate development and strategy.