$325M wind energy project begins feeding power into B.C. grid

TORONTO—A 99-megawatt wind energy installation on Vancouver Island in British Columbia has started commercial operation, according to the trio of firms behind the project.

According to joint venture partners GDF SUEZ Canada Inc., Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Fiera Axium Infrastructure Inc., the $325-million Cape Scott project began feeding power into the grid this week under a 20-year power purchase agreement with BC Hydro.

With an annual generation capacity of more than 290 gigawatt-hours, the installation about 40 kilometres west of Port Hardy, B.C., on Vancouver Island’s north coast,produces enough power to meet the electricity needs of 100,000 B.C. residents.

Construction began in the summer of 2011, and the project created more than 300 jobs during peak construction.

“The Cape Scott wind project represents a significant engineering feat and strengthens our position as one of the leading renewable energy generators in Canada,” GDF SUEZ Canada president Mike Crawley said in a statement.

“We’re proud to continue demonstrating our commitment to environmentally sound power generation within a province that shares this priority.”

The Cape Scott site features 55 Vestas V100 wind turbines, each with 1.8 MW of capacity.

The joint venture now operates facilities than generate more than 660 MW of wind power in B.C., Ontario and Atlantic Canada.

Cape Scott is the joint venture’s 10th wind installation in Canada.