Two turbines of the WildRose Windfarm that is currently under construction south of Medicine Hat are visible from the Eagle Butte Trail in Cypress County.--News Photo Collin Gallant
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Construction is well underway on the first wind power project to undergo an interim “viewscape” analysis laid out by the provincial government, but the developer has applied to relocate two towers that were nixed in the original approval.
WildRose Windfarm was initially put before the Alberta Utilities Commission 12 years ago, but in 2021, new owner Capstone Infrastructure was forced to update and resubmit its application to build on land near the Eagle Butte Trail, about 13 kilometres south of Dunmore.
That proposal was paused during a moratorium on renewable energy approvals in Alberta in 2023. Coming out, it was subjected to site visits and new requirements to determine its visibility from a protected view-zone surrounding the Cypress Hills, 12 km away.
The new approval found most of the 36-turbine facility had minimal impact when viewed from the Hills – specifically the Horseshoe Canyon lookout.
But the AUC ruled that two towers were too close and located as such to have harmful a view looking out the doors of the Tabor Little Plume Evangelical Ministry Church.
They were declined in the overall approval to preserve the view from the church front doors, but are now subject to reconsidering having been moved northward.
“At these distances between the viewpoint and (most of) the turbines … siting to the viewpoint does not result in a material difference in visual impact compared to the operational Cypress Wind Power project (to the north),” the report states, citing in-person visits from the commission panel.
Two towers however, to be located 550 metres and 750 metres from the church, were deleted, while a new application is to be considered in February. A new proposed layout would move the closest of the two turbines to about 1,000 metres north of the church.
Capstone states in its application the new layout has the approval of church trustees.
In the original approval, the commission also stated that views of the Sweet Grass Hills in northern Montana should be considered in future.
The company must also:
– Monitor pronghorn migration patterns, and bat population; and
– Work with Transport Canada to limit safety beacons on top of towers to only when aircraft are present.
Capstone acquired the project in 2021, and originally stated the budget at $360 million. The production from the facility is under a power purchase agreement with the City of Edmonton and Pembina Pipelines.
The AUC will consider submissions on the current application until Feb. 7.
