The Ripley wind power project, a C$176 million joint venture project between Spain's Acciona Energy and Canada's Suncor Energy Products has begun generating power, sending electricity to Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator.
The partners are continuing to commission wind turbines and plan to complete commissioning activities by the end of 2007.
The 76MW facility is the first Ontario wind power project for both companies. It is located near the town of Ripley on the eastern shores of Lake Huron in Huron-Kinloss Township, approximately 220 kilometers west of Toronto and 140 kilometers north of London, Ontario.
Operated by Acciona, the wind farm consists of 38 2MW turbines, two electrical substations and a 27 kilometer transmission line. The Ripley project is expected to generate enough clean electricity to power approximately 24,000 Ontario homes and displace the equivalent of at least 66,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
This is the third wind farm jointly owned by the two companies. The companies co-own the Alberta-based Magrath and Chin Chute wind farms, which have a capacity of 30MW each, in partnership with Enbridge Income Fund.