WEST CAPE, P.E.I. — Families in Prince Edward Island now have greater access to clean, renewable electricity, with the expansion of the West Cape Wind Farm. The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, celebrated the official opening of Phase II of the wind farm on behalf of the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Natural Resources.
Minister Shea also used the occasion to announce that the Government of Canada, through the ecoENERGY for Renewable Power initiative, would provide up to $24.3 million over the next 10 years to ensure that electricity produced by the project is delivered to consumers at competitive prices.
“P.E.I. will now have more than double the supply of cost-effective, renewable energy with the expansion of the West Cape Wind Farm,” said Minister Shea. “This investment is another example of how our Government is delivering results by investing in projects that stimulate our economy, create jobs and protect our environment.”
The expansion of the West Cape Wind Farm comprises a total of 44 new turbines, with a total capacity of more than 79 megawatts. These turbines will generate some 255 gigawatt hours of clean electricity a year — enough to meet the electricity needs of as many as 25,000 homes.
The project is owned by GDF SUEZ Energy North America, which now has more than a dozen wind energy facilities in operation or in development in eastern Canada.
“Successful energy projects are nearly always the result of industry and government working together, and this wind farm is no exception,” said Zin Smati, CEO of GDF SUEZ’s operations in North America. “We are very pleased to be growing our wind energy business in eastern Canada and, as a result, creating jobs and other economic benefits for many years to come.”
The $1.5-billion ecoENERGY for Renewable Power initiative, launched in 2007, will increase Canada’s renewable electricity capacity by as much as 4,000 megawatts — enough to power a million homes. The Economic Action Plan for Canada (2009) builds on this investment with an additional $2.4 billion to support the development and deployment of cleaner energy technologies and supporting infrastructure, including the $1-billion Clean Energy Fund and the $1-billion Green Infrastructure Fund.
Families in Prince Edward Island now have greater access to clean, renewable electricity. Fisheries and Oceans Minister Gail Shea celebrated the official opening of Phase II of the West Cape Wind Farm as part of the federal government’s $24.3-million ecoENERGY for Renewable Power initiative. The expansion of the wind farm will more than double P.E.I.’s supply of cost-effective, renewable energy.
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