$280M wind power for Port Hardy passes Environmental Assessment

The Nahwitti Wind Power Project, with 47 wind turbines, will be built on 10,000 hectares of mostly Crown land covered with shallow bogs, stunted trees and small rock outcrops, about 45 kilometres west of Port Hardy.

The proposed Nahwitti Windfarm Project north of Port Hardy has been granted an environmental assessment certificate, but the approval comes with a long list of conditions.

The 104 conditions include establishing an erosion-control plan, complying with Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada directives, ensuring compensation for any destruction of fish habitat and implementing a traffic management plan to maintain safe access in the vicinity of the project during construction.

The project will include 30 kilometres of new access roads and bridges, as well as upgrades to existing roads and bridges and up to 20 km of underground and aboveground transmission lines.

Nomis, under the management and direction of Rupert Peace Power Holdings, has also made a deal with the neighbouring Cape Scott Wind Farm Project to share transmission infrastructure connecting to the power grid near Port Hardy.

Local and provincial taxes generated over the 35-year lifespan of the project are estimated to be $68 million.

The seven-month construction period is expected to generate 180 person-years of direct employment, and the operational phase of the project is expected to create 350 person-years of full-time direct employment. The project must still secure provincial approval and an electricity purchase agreement with B.C. Hydro.