Forty Mile Wind Power Project – Wind Power

The Suncor Forty Mile Wind Power Project is located in southeastern Alberta, on approximately 50,000 acres of private land, south and east of the town of Bow Island and in the County of Forty Mile. The project is designed to be developed in two phases for a total of 400 megawatts (MW), consisting of 89 wind turbines.

Phase one construction began in late 2019. However, Suncor released a revised 2020 corporate guidance for capital, operating costs and production outlook on March 23, 2020, reflecting significant declines in crude oil prices and uncertainty surrounding the economic impact of COVID-19. As part of the company’s revised capital expense budget, Suncor decided to suspend construction on phase one of the Forty Mile Wind Power Project for up to two years.

Suncor will consult with the Alberta Electricity System Operator and Alberta Utilities Commission on how to adjust project milestone dates.

Suncor remains committed to:

building the Forty Mile Wind Power Project
engaging with Forty Mile County and the surrounding community
further developing renewable energy in Alberta
reducing total greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 30% by 2030

Once built, the first phase of Forty Mile will consist of 45 4.5 MW wind turbines, a meteorological tower, an electrical collection system, turbine access roads, and temporary construction facilities. Forty Mile will deliver generated electricity to the gird via the Granlea substation, which will connect to the existing 240 kiloVolts (kV) transmission line within the project area.

Location

The Suncor Forty Mile Wind Power Project is located on privately owned land located in the County of Forty Mile, approximately 60 kilometres from the city of Medicine Hat. The project area is approximately 13 kilometres from the town of Bow Island, Alberta.

The figure below identifies the location of the project and the area that has been studied. Click the map to download a larger image (PDF, 1 pp., 2.9 MB).

Proposed timeline

The project schedule could look like the following:

Activity	Date
AUC application submission	October 2017
AUC initial approval	May 2019
AUC amendment submission	September 2019
AUC amendment approval	October 2019
Site remobilization (construction restart)	Spring 2021
Granlea phase in commercial operations	December 2022
Maleb phase in commercial operations	December 2022

How wind projects work

Wind turbines capture the energy of moving air and convert it to electricity.

Wind turbines work on the same principle that allows airplanes to fly. The wind doesn’t push the blades, but passes over them. The resulting pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces creates lift, which causes the rotor to turn.

As the blades of a wind turbine turn, the kinetic energy of the wind is converted into mechanical energy, which is transmitted through a drive shaft to an electrical generator in the nacelle. The resulting electrical current travels via a network of collection system wires to a substation, where it is converted to a higher voltage for the larger electricity transmission or distribution grid. From there, it’s delivered to the electric utility and customers.

For more information, visit the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA)

Indigenous and community engagement

Communities and local stakeholders have a right to be informed about our activities, participate in a transparent engagement process, and be involved in the decisions on issues and opportunities that may affect their interests.

Our objectives:

Engage early with interested Indigenous groups, local stakeholders and community organizations to understand their concerns, interests and values; minimize adverse impacts; and, identify opportunities for mutual benefits.
Develop long-term positive relationships and presence in the communities.
Be responsive to community concerns in a way that fosters constructive dialogue, trust and mutual respect.

Since early 2016, Suncor has been engaging with community members in and around Forty Mile County. The project team has hosted open house information events, consulted with our project landowners, consulted with County Council and supported and attended a variety of community organizations’ events.

We engage early so that we can learn about the community and share information about the proposed project concept. We will continue to engage throughout construction, commissioning and operations.

We want to understand the community’s values, priorities, needs and concerns at all stages of project planning, so we can better reflect these community interests in the Forty Mile Wind Power Project.

Suncor remains committed to engaging with Forty Mile County and the surrounding community.

Project consultation

Since the spring of 2017, Suncor representatives have been sharing information and meeting with community members in support of our permit application to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC), which was submitted in October 2017 (proceeding #23030).

If you would like to receive email updates about the proposed Suncor Forty Mile Wind Power Project, please send us an email to be added to our distribution list.

Environmental stewardship

Suncor believes environmentally responsible operations are essential. With nearly two decades of renewable energy experience, Suncor continues to consider new operating practices to enhance environmental performance.

As part of the project process, Suncor completes a variety of studies that can include, but are not limited to:

Historical resource studies
Noise modeling and verification
Visual impact assessments
Wetland and watercourse assessments
Wildlife and wildlife habitat studies

Suncor continues to consult with local stakeholders to identify potential environmental impacts and potential mitigation measures. The final project development plan reflects input provided by landowners, community members, regulators and local Indigenous communities and takes into account all relevant environmental factors.

Socio-economic benefits

We believe people and communities affected by our activities should be able to benefit from energy development through opportunities such as employment, business development, education, training and community investment.

Key factors of being a sustainable energy company include strong economic performance, along with social responsibility and environmental stewardship. Suncor’s investment in the Suncor Forty Mile Wind Power Project will benefit the economy, people and nearby communities through:

Creating jobs (construction and operations)
Promoting economic growth and contracting opportunities
Increasing the community’s tax base
Investing in programs and initiatives that support resilient and sustainable communities

Suncor Forty Mile Wind Power Project

Forty Mile Project information update – May, 2020

Forty Mile Project information update – August, 2019

Forty Mile Project information update – June, 2018

Forty Mile Project information update – March, 2018

Forty Mile Project information update – January, 2018

Forty Mile Project information update – August, 2017

Previous information updates