Proposed central Alberta wind project met with opposition from residents, conservation group

People who live near the site of a proposed wind power project in central Alberta are speaking out against it.

The Fox Meadows Wind project by ABO Energy would produce 165 megawatts and include up to 25 turbines. The proposal is currently being assessed by the Alberta Utilities Commission with a hearing set for February.

The developer said if completed, it will produce enough electricity for more than 65,000 homes.

The project is located on privately owned land between the town of Provost and the village of Edgerton, about 265 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.

Jasona Rondeau is group representative for the Edgerton Land Advocates, which Rondeau said was formed for residents in the surrounding area to communicate their concerns about the wind power proposal in a unified way. 

Rondeau told CBC that concerns from interveners, people or entities who have an interest in the outcome of the project, range from effects on wildlife to health concerns from the noise.

"They want to construct 25 towers that are the size of the Calgary Tower, right on very prime agricultural land and surrounding vast numbers of livestock and a few residences," Rondeau said. 

"There are a number of concerns whether they are environmental, because the bird environment protected areas report came back with a very high mortality risk for birds and bats." 

The project's turbines would have a hub height of 115 metres and a rotor diameter of 162 metres. 

The project was reviewed by the province's Environment and Protected Areas Fish and Wildlife Stewardship, which found as of January 2024, that there was a moderate risk to wildlife and wildlife habitat.

The team of three biologists did not conduct an independent on-site assessment and reviewed submitted documents, completed by Maskwa Environmental Consulting on behalf of ABO Energy. 

On Oct. 15, the Alberta Wilderness Association wrote to the Alberta Utilities Commission to express concerns about the impacts the Fox Meadows project could have on habitat and wildlife.

"While we appreciate that the majority of the project is situated on cultivated lands, with a low proportion (nine per cent) of native grassland habitat, we are concerned with the high risk it could pose to local wetlands, birds, and bats," association conservation specialist Ruiping Luo wrote. 

"Wind turbines provide an alternative to fossil fuel energy generation with lower carbon emissions, and cause nearly 35 times less bird fatalities than fossil fuel power stations. Yet, the extent of their environmental impact depends strongly on the location and operation of the wind power station."

The association said while it supports increasing renewable energy generation in Alberta, development must proceed in a fashion respecting and promoting wildlife and landscape protection and health values.

READ | Wilderness association letter to Alberta Utilities Commission:

Rondeau said there is also concern surrounding mechanical failure of wind turbines, particularly after a turbine broke at the Capital Power Halkirk 2 Wind Facility in Paintearth County on Nov. 8.

A representative from Capital Power told CBC in a statement that the nacelle and rotor at one of the turbines (T33) fell from the tower. There were no injuries, and no damage to public property.

"In response, a full site-wide safety stand-down has been implemented with the remainder of the H2 turbines not operating, and the site has been secured," the statement said. 

"As a precautionary measure, the area around each tower is being secured and an investigation is underway."

Rondeau said the group has also heard concerns over potential health impacts.

"Headaches and nausea and sleep disturbance, and in some cases … depression, anxiety, things that are difficult for them to manage," she said. 

A Health Canada study from 2014 found no link between exposure to wind turbine noise and negative health effects in people.

ABO Energy held open houses in 2022 and 2023 to address some of the most common concerns.

"Although audible sound, infrasound and low frequency noise (LFN) are emitted from wind turbines, it is not at a level that causes health impacts, headaches, nausea, sleep problems and tinnitus," the company says on its website. 

Collaboration needed, expert says

John Parkins is an environmental sociologist with the University of Alberta who studies rural community resistance to wind projects.

Parkins told CBC that there are many factors at play that can lead to community unease about a wind project. 

"One of them is that landowners are concerned that there will be a lack of local benefits, and those benefits, they do accrue, they often will go to the owners of the projects."

 ABO Energy has stated that it may employ up to 100 people during the estimated 18-month construction period.

The company says there will be $70 million of goods and services contracts going to Alberta companies, with preference going to qualified local entities.

ABO Energy asserts that the MDs of Provost and Wainwright will gain split revenue of tens of millions of dollars in municipal tax revenue over the anticipated 30-year life of the wind project. 

Parkins said more research is needed in determining how landowners feel about wind projects in the years after they have been built. 

"We have found, for example, that in places like Pincher Creek, Alta., where we've had wind turbines for more than 20 years, annual surveys or regular surveys, follow-up surveys with landowners have shown that the concerns persist over time." 

"There may be benefits in terms of renewable energy for the grid that can benefit Albertans, particularly urban folks, but the benefits don't really go to the local landowners and the local communities in ways that people would want," Parkins said.

He added that it is important that the consultation process be a collaborative endeavour between the prospective developer and landowners, as opposed to only a process of declaring the project and then defending its merits.

"Instead of just thinking about consultation as a way to convince landowners that this is the project, they need or that this project would benefit from them a much more elaborate or a full version of consultation, would be letting landowners, be involved in the design of these projects from the get-go."

The AUC will be holding a hearing for this project on Feb. 24.

Construction on the project is expected to start in the third quarter of 2025 with it becoming operational in 2027. 

Tyler Lawrason, chief administrative officer with the MD of Provost, told CBC in a statement that the MD is a registered intervener in the proceeding.

"An application for rezoning relative to this project, as a required part of the municipality's development process, was considered by council in January of 2023 and was denied."

Due to its status as an intervener, Lawrason said there would be no further comment.

Mike Wildeboer, reeve of the MD of Wainwright, said in a statement it is aware of the Fox Meadows Wind Project.

"The municipality has always followed provincial legislation in regard to development," he said. "As a member of council, I have attended two open houses to learn more about the project. We always take into consideration the concerns of our residents for any industrial project within the MD."