Saskatchewan’s largest wind farm planned near Assiniboia

[00:00:00]Well, people that live near the town of Assiniboia, no strangers to seeing wind turbines on the horizon. About 4 years ago, the Golden South Wind Facility began their operations with about 50 turbines. But as Wayne Mantyka tells us, another wind farm from farm is setting up shop. A venture that's led by an energy company, the Meadow Lake Tribal Council, and a Hutterite colony in the area.

[00:00:22]>> The wind was blowing at a sod turning for what will be Saskatchewan's largest wind farm.

[00:00:28]>> I think we have one of the most diversified uh power grids in the entire country. That's through design. Uh and that very much is what we had at the center of the energy security strategy.

[00:00:37]That all of the above approach.

[00:00:38]>> It may also be the first wind farm on Hutterite colony land.

[00:00:43]>> It is a 30-40 year term and it's it's got to be good. That's and we are basically all in for it.

[00:00:52]>> The wind farm will be a joint venture between the Rose Valley Hutterite colony, the Meadow Lake Tribal Council, and energy supplier Potentia.

[00:01:01]>> Uh we have our Southern Spring Solar project which we're also building majority owned by the M Squared partnership with Mistawasis and Meadow Lake Tribal Council. Um uh but that's probably about another year about a year behind Rose Valley.

[00:01:13]>> About two dozen turbines will supply 200 megawatts of electricity. Combined with the recent 100 megawatt solar power generating facility at Estevan, it offers the equivalent of a large conventional coal unit at Boundary Dam.

[00:01:28]>> Kind of we all need power. Indeed.

[00:01:31]>> Indeed, yes we do.

[00:01:33]>> About 1/3 of SaskPower energy will now come from renewables. But fossil fuel driven electricity will still be required for days when the wind doesn't blow or the sun doesn't shine. Alberta has had virtually no wind for 3 days now and SaskPower has been supplying electricity to make up for some of that shortfall. Wayne Mantyka, CTV News, near Assiniboia.