Siemens expands wind power presence to Western Canada with agreement for first Alberta installation

Siemens Canada has expanded its wind power footprint in Canada to the Province of Alberta via an agreement for Mainstream Renewable Power’s Oldman 2 wind project. The deal will see Siemens supply, deliver and commission 20 SWT-2.3-101 wind turbines with a hub height of 80 metres and blade length of 49 metres. Mainstream is currently building the wind farm and will operate it for its lifecycle. The deal also includes a long-term service and maintenance agreement to be fulfilled by Siemens. The project is wholly owned by IKEA Canada, making it the largest wind farm owned by a Canadian retailer.

Oldman 2 is a 46 MW installation to be situated in Pincher Creek in southern Alberta and will generate 161 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity each year, equivalent to the annual average electricity consumption of 13,500 Canadian households. Construction on the project has begun and commercial operation is expected by fall of 2014.

The Oldman 2 agreement represents Siemens’ first foray into the Alberta wind market, strengthening the company’s engineering capacity and energy business portfolio in the province. Siemens currently has offices in Calgary, Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Alberta.

Alberta is Canada’s third-largest wind power market behind Ontario and Quebec, with 1,117 MW installed representing nearly 17 per cent of the nation’s installed capacity for wind power.

“Alberta has abundant wind resources and a growing energy market. As a leader in the Canadian wind industry we look forward to bringing our technology to the province for the first time and helping bring renewable energy to Albertans.”