EDF EN brings online phase II of 300-MW Quebec wind farm

Sep 10, 2013 - The Canadian arm of French EDF Energies Nouvelles (EDF EN) said Monday it had started commercial operations at the 150-MW phase II of the 300-MW Lac-Alfred wind park in Quebec.

The facility was put on stream on August 31. Its first phase, also with a capacity of 150 MW, was switched on in January, EDF EN, the renewable energy unit of French utility EDF (EPA:EDF), said. Canadian energy supplier Enbridge Inc (TSE:ENB) owns 50% in the wind scheme.

Featuring 150 turbines of Repower Systems SE, part of Indian wind turbine maker Suzlon Energy (BOM:532667), the 300-MW installation is capable of producing 1 million MWh of electricity each year, enough to supply about 70,000 homes. The project, worth about CAD 700 million (USD 675m/EUR 509.3m), opened over 350 jobs during the construction stage and will create 15 permanent job positions.

EDF Renewable Services Inc will take care of the plants’ operations and maintenance (O&M). The generated electricity will be sold to public utility Hydro-Quebec under 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs).

Lac-Alfred is one of the seven wind projects that EDF EN Canada won through calls for tenders by Hydro-Quebec in 2008 and 2010. By the end of 2015, the firm will have installed 1,003.2 MW in Quebec, as compared to 530 MW currently, it noted.

(CAD 1.0 = USD 0.965/EUR 0.728)

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