January 27, 2012
Nova Scotia

Wind farm owner seeks N.S. approval to expand

By JOANN ALBERSTAT Business Reporter, thechronicleherald.ca 26 January 2012

The owner of a Pictou County wind farm has asked the province for environmental approvals for a proposed expansion.

Shear Wind Inc. of Bedford registered the second phase of its Glen Dhu project with the provincial Environment Department on Thursday.

However, the province has not yet approved the expansion plan. The government will issue a request for proposals in March to acquire more renewable electricity from independent power producers.

“At the end of the day, we want to be prepared and ready,” Shear Wind chief executive officer Mike Magnus said in an interview.

Glen Dhu, the largest wind farm in Nova Scotia, has been in operation since March. The 62-megawatt first phase has been producing more power than expected.

Magnus said the company will submit two proposed expansion plans, totalling 80 megawatts, for provincial approval. Both are covered by the one environment assessment, he said.

Shear Wind will also be proposing a 50-megawatt wind project in the Canaan Mountains area in northern Nova Scotia.

However, developers can only be awarded one project under the competitive bidding process, which is being overseen by an independent renewable energy administrator.

Magnus said fieldwork at the Canaan Mountains site is still being completed and the environmental assessment will be filed later this year.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/27/wind-farm-owner-seeks-n-s-approval-to-expand/