The wind farm is owned by Enercon, Six Nations of the Grand River Development and Boralex. Boralex acquired 25% of Enercon’s stake in the project by in December last year.
The wind farm consists of 77 of Enercon’s E-101 producing about 3MW each. The wind project is backed up by a 20 year power purchase agreement with Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO).
Power generated from the wind farm will be enough to power more than 76,000 homes per year through the operating life of the project.
To mark the inauguration and to celebrate Global Wind Day, the companies held a public open house at the site, which offered local residents an opportunity to see the facilities up close.
Boralex CEO and president Patrick Lemaire said: "This project was signed, built and commissioned within two years as a result of outstanding teamwork, which fills me with pride.
“The acquisition of the project, which we completed in January, represents the largest transaction in Boralex's history and has enabled us to raise our contracted capacity target to 2GW by 2020."
Enercon Canada executive vice president Michael Weidemann said: "I am extremely proud of this project being completed not only under the leadership of ENERCON, a first for our company here in Canada, but in record time. We share a long and fruitful history with Boralex, which lays an encouraging groundwork for our future collaborations.”
Last November, Enercon completed financial closing for the wind farm. The total cost of the finance was C$825.5m ($622.34m) and it includes a construction cost of C$789.5m ($595.2m). The construction loan will be converted into an 18 year amortising loan as the commercial operations at the wind farm begin.
Image: Niagara Region wind farm located in Ontario, Canada. Photo: Courtesy of CNW Group/Boralex Inc.
