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Construction begins on Manitoba's largest wind farm
Ground was broken this morning on what will become Manitoba's largest wind farm.
Pattern Energy staged the ceremonial ground-breaking for its 138-megawatt wind farm at St. Joseph, located about 100 kilometres south of Winnipeg.
"This wind farm will more than double wind capacity in the province," Finance Minister Rosanne Wowhchuk said from the site.
This morning's ground-breaking follows successful negotiations last month of a 27-year power-purchase agreement between Manitoba Hydro and Pattern Energy. The company will invest $95 million into the project. It's also receiving loans totalling $260 million from Manitoba Hydro, which Pattern Energy will repay over 20 years.
"Manitoba Hydro is pleased to see this project move forward to add to the province's sources of renewable energy," Hydro CEO and president Bob Brennan said.
The province's first wind farm, near St. Leon, generates 100 megawatts of power.
Hunter Armistead, executive director of Pattern Energy, said the project will create 225 construction jobs and 15 permanent positions.
The wind farm is being built on 125 square kilometres in the RMs of Montcalm and Rhineland. The operation will consist of 60, 2.3 megawatt wind turbines.
The first turbines are expected to be in operation by the end of the year.
When completely operational, the wind farm is expected to generate enough electricity to power 50,000 homes.
Pattern Energy is expected to pay a total of $38 million to land owners for using their property and generate $44 million in local municipal taxes over the life of the project.
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