RePower Alberta

Pacific Gas & Electric to buy all power they generate for 20 years under state rules requiring minimum green-energy use

EDMONTON — California’s stringent rules for renewable energy have given a kick-start to two major wind-power projects planned for Alberta.

Under California’s renewable energy credits program, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has agreed to buy all the power for 20 years from Greengate Power Corp.’s 150-megawatt Halkirk 1 project east of Stettler and the 300-megawatt Blackspring Ridge project north of Lethbridge.

The wind power will go into the Alberta electrical grid, which is linked to the western half of North America.

Edmonton’s Capital Power Corp. is a 50-50 partner in Halkirk, although it has not yet signed a formal agreement.

“This power purchase agreement with California is certainly a step forward, but there are other conditions to be meet before Capital Power signs onto Halkirk,” Capital spokesman Mike Long said.

Dan Balaban, Greengate’s chief executive, said final engineering and financing arrangements now underway should allow construction on the project to begin later this year.

Upon completion in 2012, Halkirk will be Alberta’s largest wind farm. Blackspring Ridge, expected to be operating by 2013, will be Canada’s largest.

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