Juwi says Nova Scotia First Nations to co-locate wind projects

Oct 18, 2012 - Juwi Wind Canada, part of German green projects developer Juwi, today said that two First Nations in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia had decided to co-locate their proposed wind projects.

Millbrook First Nation and Eskasoni First Nation have earlier in October sent a letter to Nova Scotia Department of Energy and Colchester County officials, announcing the decision. Under the proposal, Eskasoni's two-turbine project will be located with Millbrook's three-turbine scheme. The projects are being developed under Nova Scotia's community feed-in-tariff programme (COMFIT) in Colchester County.

The two First Nations both teamed up with Juwi Wind Canada to file their initial COMFIT applications in October last year. Now the Millbrook community wind project already has a COMFIT certificate, but approval for the Eskasoni project has been held up by community concerns and competition for the eligible capacity.

Juwi and the local project developer Community Wind Farms Inc will spend the next week re-engaging with neighbours, combining the Environmental Assessment process and adjusting Eskasoni's COMFIT application. Chief Leroy Denny of Eskasoni First Nation expressed hope that the co-location would help secure a COMFIT award from the Department of Energy and keep the project on track for construction in 2014.

Community-owned projects with COMFIT certificates get a 20-year power purchase agreement from Nova Scotia Power.

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