Capital Power eyes expansion of Canadian wind complex to 353 MW

Canadian power producer Capital Power Corp (TSE:CPX) will seek regulatory consent to add 54 MW of additional capacity to its Whitla wind farm project in Alberta.

The company said on Tuesday that this will be the third phase of the Whitla scheme, for which it will make an application with the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) this summer. Calling for a total investment of CAD 92 million (USD 67.8m/EUR 60m), Whitla Wind 3 will lift the entire project's capacity to 353 MW, if approved.

The expansion of the Whitla complex in the province's County of Forty Mile is expected to enter construction in the second quarter of 2021. Capital Power plants to install the plant simultaneously with the 97-MW Whitla Wind 2 park in order to capture synergies. Both wind farms are planned to become operational by the end of next year and the company is now in “active” talks that aim to find power off-takers for the two facilities.

As in the first two projects, the Canadian firm will use Vestas wind turbines. Whitla Wind 3 will be equipped with 15 V-136 3.6 MW machines by the Danish manufacturer.

The first phase of the Whitla complex, of 202 MW, was switched on at the end of 2019 and is operating under a contract won in Alberta's first renewable energy auction.

(CAD 1.0 = USD 0.737/EUR 0.653)

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