Firm seeks another extension on Empress solar power farm

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on July 15, 2021.

https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

Construction of a planned solar farm in Empress is being held up by global supply and pricing for steel, the developer informed the Cypress County municipal planning commission Tuesday.

A letter from Aura Power requested a time extension to next spring for municipal permits to build the Empress Solar park in the far northeast quadrant of the county.

It states it is organizing contractors, material and equipment but likely won’t be able to complete construction until next year.

Project manager Victor Beda, of Aura, told the News the pandemic had an adverse effect on pricing and supply of steel.

“We are still looking to get onto the site in the fall, and get to work right away on some things like an access road and interconnection (to the grid),” he said.

“We’d start up again next spring and have it complete in spring of early summer of 2022.”

Last month the company received a similar extension from the Alberta Utilities Commission after it requested a new in-service date at the end of 2022.

The original AUC approval from 2019 stated the company’s intent was to begin construction in spring 2021 and be complete on July 1.

It would comprise about 150,000 panels on steel racking systems over two privately owned quarter-sections close to Highway 41 and Township Road 200, near the Saskatchewan boundary.

The facility would be capable of producing 39 megawatts of power in peak conditions and would be coupled with a battery storage system.

In April, Aura also informed the AUC that ownership of the project had transferred to Swiss-based investment fund Achernar GP, though Aura remains the project developer.

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