Enel Green Power Canada Inc. has started the main construction phase of the 152 MW Grizzly Bear Creek wind project in the counties of Minburn and Vermilion River in Alberta, Canada. This phase of major construction work, including turbine installment, comes after the Alberta Utilities Commission granted an updated permit for the project. The project will consist of 34 turbines that are expected to generate 528 GWh of energy each year, enough to avoid 343,000 tons of CO2 emissions and meet the electricity needs of over 73,000 Alberta households annually.
“Grizzly Bear Creek will add diversity to the robust energy sector that serves as the backbone of Alberta’s economy” said Paolo Romanacci, Head of Enel Green Power in the US and Canada. “Enel Green Power has proudly powered the homes and businesses of tens of thousands of Albertans with clean renewable power, which helps make power more affordable and helps Canada meet its ambitious sustainability goals. After more than a decade of serving Albertans, we’re excited to keep building with our next major investment in the province.”
Hon. Doug Schweitzer, Minister of Jobs, Economy, and Innovation, added that Alberta is a destination of choice for businesses and that the province continues to attract investment.
The construction of the wind farm will include approximately 250 workers during its peak and create around 7 full-time, permanent jobs for operations and maintenance. Grizzly Bear Creek represents a reliable long-term economic stimulus for the counties of Minburn and Vermilion River. Over the project’s 30-year lifetime it will pay landowners for the use of their lands and generate over $80 million in local tax revenues. Operations are expected to begin by the end of 2022.
Enel Green Power currently operates three wind projects in Canada, all located in the Pincher Creek area in southern Alberta: Castle Rock Ridge I & II (105 MW) and Riverview (105 MW). Castle Rock Ridge II and Riverview began operations in 2020. Enel is also growing in Canada through its Enel X business line, providing advanced energy services including demand response and distributed energy resources. Enel X Way, the company’s smart electric vehicle charging business, is expanding across the country through partnerships with major Canadian companies.
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