TransCanada Corporation(TSX, NYSE: TRP) (TransCanada) has announced the completion of the Quebec-based Gros-Morne wind farm, the final phase of Cartier Wind Energy. Gros-Morne was officially commissioned at 0000 hours on November 6, 2012.
This emission-free wind farm was completed one month ahead of schedule and can produce up to 111 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy, enough to meet the needs of over 20,000 Quebec homes every year.
"We're pleased to announce the full completion of Cartier Wind Energy, demonstrating progress in increasing the supply and availability of renewable emission-free energy" said Russ Girling, TransCanada's president and chief executive officer. "With the successful start-up of these projects, we continue to move closer to becoming the leading energy infrastructure company in North America.”
The five phases of Cartier Wind Energy has a total capacity of 590 MW, enough to meet the needs of more than 100,000 Quebec homes. All of the power produced by the project is sold to Hydro-Quebec under 20-year power purchase agreements. Cartier is the largest wind farm in Canada and is owned by TransCanada Corporation (62 per cent) and Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. (38 per cent).
As part of its renewable or emissions-free energy portfolio, TransCanada also owns, operates or has an interest in:
•New England’s.largest wind farm – the Kibby Wind Project
•Thirteen hydro-electric facilities in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont (nine have already received Low Impact Hydropower Institute certification)
•Bruce Power - one of the world’s largest nuclear sites and is the source of roughly 25 per cent of Ontario’s electricity
•Solar - TransCanada will acquire nine solar projects in Ontario which are expected to come into service through 2014
Over a third of the power TransCanada owns, or has interests in, comes from renewable or emissionsfree energy sources.
With more than 60 years' experience, TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure including natural gas and oil pipelines, power generation and gas storage facilities. TransCanada operates a network of natural gas pipelines that extends more than 68,500 kilometres (42,500 miles), tapping into virtually all major gas supply basins in North America. TransCanada is one of the continent's largest providers of gas storage and related services with approximately 380 billion cubic feet of storage capacity. A growing independent power producer, TransCanada owns or has interests in over 10,900 megawatts of power generation in Canada and the United States. TransCanada is developing one of North America's largest oil delivery systems. TransCanada's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP.