Construction underway on solar farm near Enchant

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on October 22, 2021.

https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

Capital Power announced that construction began Thursday on its new solar energy farm near Enchant, the same day a transfer of ownership and new in-service date was approved by regulators.

The Edmonton-based power generator purchased plans to build the 90,000-panel facility late last year from Calgary-based renewable developer SolarKrafte.

A new sale approval this week by the Alberta Utilities Commission states the transaction was completed on Sept. 15, and a new completion date of the end of 2022 was set.

The 75-megawatt capacity facility would sit on a total of one-half section of land located 12 kilometres north of Enchant in the MD of Taber, and be connected to the Fortis distribution system.

Capital’s construction budget estimate at the time of the purchase ranged from $90 million to $100 million.

It was previously known as Prairie Sunlight I, but has been renamed “Enchant Solar.”

Later Thursday, Capital Power announced via social media that work on the site, road and lay-down area was underway.

Records with the Alberta Electrical System Operator also show Capital’s Whitla Phase II expansion is operating and producing power to the grid. That 151-megawatt expansion was built over the past year and is the subject of a power take-off agreement with Dow Chemicals announced last month.

The firm’s third-quarter financial report is due Oct. 27.

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