Construction Ratchets Up at Wind Farm near Mannville

Construction Ratchets Up at Wind Farm near Mannville

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

Pennecon Needs You.

That’s the heading of a notice posted on the bulletin board outside the Mannville post office. The company, which is constructing the Grizzly Bear Creek Wind Farm seven kilometres south of the community, is currently looking for: flagging jobs, labourers, concrete workers and finishers.

Pennecon’s services and projects in heavy civil, industrial, service, maintenance, and marine is throughout Canada. It is the contractor for the developer Wild Run Partnership North America in partnership with Enel Alberta Wind Inc.

Enel representative Matt Epting said the project team is extremely busy right now, but hopes to be able to share more details about the project and future plans in the coming months.

The project is located in the County of Minburn. County council signed off on a development agreement about a month ago. According to the agreement, “The

project is expected to pay $30-$40 million in property taxes over its anticipated life.”

Reeve Roger Konieczny said the project was proposed and licensed by the Alberta Utilities Commission, (AUC) about 12 years ago. But it never materialized. Enel bought the project rights in about 2019 and they’ve been engaging with the County since then.

Ground work on project site seven kilometres south of Mannville just east of Township Road 500.

(Michelle Pinon/Photo)

“Enel commenced civil construction activities on private land in fall of 2021. Full-scale construction is due to begin this month,” stated Konieczny.

Accordingly, several county roads will have to be upgraded. Enel’s estimates, which have been confirmed by County engineers, call for around $4.5 million is upgrades. The county will hold 50 percent of this amount in security should repairs and upgrades not be done in a satisfactory manner.

“There is some long-term employment on the turbine maintenance side, but the vast majority of jobs will be short term over the construction and reclamation phases. Environmental concerns were considered in the AUC permitting process. The county is not aware of any identified issues,” noted Konieczny.

The anticipated lifespan of the project is between 20 and 30 years. “The construction phase will only last until the end of 2022, with some reclamation activities occurring in 2023,” noted Konieczny.

He said the County doesn’t anticipate any expansion of the project. As far as tax revenue to the municipality, “We do anticipate a significant tax contribution from the project, but council will not consider that income until we are sure that we will receive it.”

Village of Mannville Mayor Rex Smith is hoping for a positive economic impact to area businesses during the construction phase of the project as construction crews patronize local businesses and potentially rent housing in Mannville.

“After the construction portion of the project is completed, it’s possible that operational or maintenance workers may reside in Mannville which has economic spin-offs to business,” added Smith.