WEYBURN - In early September, Enbridge committed to engaging more deeply with landowners and the Weyburn community regarding their proposed 200-megawatt Seven Stars Energy Project.
“The valuable input we have received led us to redesign our project layout to account for existing requirements in applicable bylaws. At our Town Hall in Weyburn in December, we provided the community with a full update of our revised project plan,” said David Coll, senior communications advisor for Enbridge.
“As we continue to make progress with the community on those matters, Enbridge is requesting the RM of Weyburn amend a 12-year-old wind turbine height restriction, under Zoning Bylaw 6-2013, to clearly allow for modern turbine technology and to align with bylaws in neighbouring RM of Griffin as well as other southern Saskatchewan municipalities where wind energy projects have recently been developed.”
The company will be making the request at the RM council’s meeting on Monday, Jan. 20.
Coll noted that today’s commercial wind turbines are typically in the range of 160-220 metres (525-720 feet) tall, and there are no commercial-scale turbines on the market today that would comply with the 45-metre (147.6-ft) height restriction referenced in the RM of Weyburn’s existing zoning bylaw.
“We look forward to further dialogue with the RM on our amendment request,” said Coll.
As a company with more than seven decades of experience in working collaboratively with their neighbours in southern Saskatchewan, Enbridge will continue to engage with the community on all aspects of our project, which will create significant and sustained benefits for the RM of Weyburn, the RM of Griffin and the City of Weyburn – including employment, contracting and business opportunities, annual tax revenues, lease payments to landowners, sponsorship of community-driven programs and initiatives, spinoffs from spending locally, and rural road upgrading.
Over its anticipated 30-year lifespan, the project is expected to generate more than $100 million in estimated economic benefits for the Weyburn region while providing clean power for 100,000 Saskatchewan homes annually.
