Developers of a significant wind farm earmarked for southern Nova Scotia have announced that construction is scheduled to kick off next spring following the securing of Crown land near Milton in Queens County. The Houston cabinet recently granted a 72-hectare lease to Mersey River Wind Inc.
Mersey River Wind Inc. envisions a phased development that will see the installation of 33 turbines, each towering at 105 meters. The project aims to generate 148.5 megawatts of renewable electricity.
Roswall Development, licensed in 2021 as the first company to sell renewable electricity directly to customers, is set to provide an alternative to Nova Scotia Power. Although Nova Scotia Power will still be involved, charging tariffs for the use of the transmission and distribution system, the project aligns with the provincial energy plan.
The Crown land approvals include a crucial six-kilometer easement linking the proposed wind farm to the expansive Nova Scotia Power substation at Milton. Roscoe affirmed that the project aligns with provincial targets, aiming to derive 80% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, coinciding with Nova Scotia Power’s commitment to cease coal burning at its thermal plants.
The three-phase development will initiate with the installation of eight turbines, followed by 12, and culminating in the addition of 13 more turbines at the site, formerly owned by the Bowater Mersey pulp and paper company.
As Mersey River Wind capacity increases, the company plans to extend its services, providing green energy to residents throughout the province connected to Nova Scotia Power’s grid.
Despite the initial expectation of construction beginning in the summer or fall of this year, delays in turbine delivery resulted in a revised timeline. The project, having received environmental assessment approval in March, now anticipates construction commencement in 2025.
The wind farm’s layout underwent revisions to avoid impacting rare lichens, old-growth forest stands, and potential archaeological sites. Last month, the province mandated additional subsurface testing for areas with elevated archaeological potential.
