OntarioÂ’s First Commercial Wind Farm Opens

Ron Osborne, Chief Executive Officer of Ontario Power Generation (OPG), and Duncan Hawthorne, British EnergyÂ’s Executive Director of North American Operations, were also on hand to open the five-turbine wind farm, which will supply enough certified green electricity for up to 3,000 homes a year.

“It’s encouraging to see alternative energy projects like the Huron Wind Farm being established throughout Ontario,” said Energy Minister John Baird. “We must continue to support clean energy production to ensure there’s a sufficient supply of electricity to meet our needs now and into the future.“

Huron Wind is a partnership between OPG and British Energy Canada, which will share its output and market the green power to commercial and industrial customers in Ontario. The wind farm is adjacent to the Bruce Power VisitorsÂ’ Centre in Kincardine on the shores of Lake Huron. The project was announced in March of 2001, with construction beginning in July of 2002.

“Clean electricity produced at Huron Wind is a good solid investment for the future,” Hawthorne said. “It will complement the clean electricity produced at the Bruce Power nuclear facilities. Neither source contributes to climate change or global warming.”

Osborne described Huron Wind as the end result of an idea that grew from five years of operating experience with a single wind turbine, which is also located at the Huron Wind site.

“We wanted to develop the province’s first commercial wind farm and are very pleased that British Energy (Canada) agreed to join us in making this historic wind farm a reality,” said Osborne, whose company has the largest supply of certified green power in Ontario and markets the energy under the OPG EvergreenTM Energy brand.

Helen Johns, OntarioÂ’s Agriculture Minister and Huron Bruce MPP, praised the Huron Wind project for its ability to combine the provinceÂ’s agricultural and energy needs.

“As a local member of the provincial parliament, I can say it’s a great day for the entire area,” Johns said. “This wind farm, which is located in a field that will shortly be returned to agricultural use, demonstrates the compatibility of farming and wind energy.”

Kincardine Mayor Larry Kraemer said Huron Wind is a natural fit in a host community that has long been known as an energy centre.

“We’ve had tourists coming here to learn more about nuclear power for about 40 years,” Kraemer said. “Now, they have an additional reason for coming, to find out more about wind energy and its exciting future.”

Ontario Power Generation is an Ontario-based company whose principal business is the generation and sale of electricity to customers in Ontario and to interconnected markets. Our focus is on the risk-managed production and sale of reliable electricity from our competitive generation assets. OPG's goal is to be a premier North American energy company, while operating in a safe, open and environmentally responsible manner.

British Energy is the United KingdomÂ’s largest electricity generating company and the majority partner in Bruce Power, the operator of the Bruce A and Bruce B nuclear generating stations.