Newest Ontario wind farm plugged into grid in Chatham-Kent
by Cleantech Canada Staff
The 34 turbines will generate enough electricity to power about 35,000 homes, while ongoing operations at the site will create 10 full-time jobs
Construction at the wind farm took nearly a year.PHOTO: Siemens Gamesa/Twitter
OAKVILLE, Ont.—Turbines at a new wind farm in southwestern Ontario have begun feeding power into the province’s electricity grid.
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Ltd. said April 9 it has commissioned the 100 megawatt North Kent Wind farm after nearly a year of construction in Chatham-Kent. The turbine manufacturer was contracted by the wind farm’s developers Samsung Renewable Energy and Pattern Development to deliver the power generating equipment.
“North Kent Wind was built entirely by Ontario workers and is generating substantial economic benefits in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent by injecting more than $40 million in direct spending into the local economy over the next 20 years,” Mike Garland, Pattern Development’s president, said in a statement.
The site includes 34 of Siemens’ 3.2 MW turbines—enough to power approximately Ontario 35,000 homes.
All of the turbine components were produced in Ontario and construction on the site employed about 125 workers at peak.
The site developers say ongoing operations at the wind farm will create 10 full-time positions.
