CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - June 15, 2011) - Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB) (NYSE:ENB) and Renewable Energy Systems Canada Inc. (RES Canada), an affiliate of RES Americas, are celebrating the completion of Enbridge's 99-megawatt Talbot Wind Project today, Global Wind Day 2011.
"We are pleased to officially introduce the Talbot Wind Project to the Chatham-Kent community," said Don Thompson, Vice President, Green Energy, "particularly since today is Global Wind Day and people around the world are celebrating wind for its contributions as a clean and renewable energy source."
Enbridge owns the project and RES Canada developed and constructed it.
"RES Canada is excited to have created jobs and environmental benefits for Ontario," said Susan Reilly, President and Chief Executive Officer, RES Canada. "Through the support of the community and by working with Enbridge, the Ontario Power Authority, Hydro One, Siemens, and local contractors, the project was completed on time and within budget. RES Canada looks forward to continuing to bring clean and sustainable renewable energy to Ontario and other Canadian provinces."
"Our investment of up to $30 million from the ecoENERGY for Renewable Power program in the Talbot Wind Farm demonstrates the Government of Canada's commitment to increasing the supply of clean, renewable energy to Canadians," said the Honourable Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources. "This is an innovative example of a clean energy project supporting high-quality jobs and a sustainable energy source for Ontario's future."
To celebrate the Talbot Wind Project's completion, Enbridge and RES Canada announced two community investments.
-- $10,000 toward new windows for the Palmyra Community Hall. -- $35,000 per year for five years to the University of Guelph's Centre for Agricultural Renewable Energy and Sustainability (CARES) at its Ridgetown Campus. CARES is a hub for applied and adaptive research, training and education in bio-energy and the bio-economy. Enbridge and RES Canada's investment will support research into the impacts and benefits that this energy has on the community.
"We are proud to be part of Chatham-Kent, and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship," said Mr. Thompson. "Today is a true celebration of our involvement in - and commitment to - this community."
Now that it is complete, the Talbot Wind Project generates enough clean wind energy to power about 33,000 average Canadian homes. It complements Enbridge's growing portfolio of renewable and alternative energy assets, which includes seven wind power projects, one of the world's largest solar photovoltaic facilities (the Sarnia Solar Project), waste heat recovery facilities, and a fuel cell power plant. These projects bring the capacity of Enbridge's renewable and alternative energy investments (existing and under construction) to over 850 megawatts - enough to power over 295,000 homes.
The Talbot Wind Project also helps advance Enbridge's commitment to achieving an environmentally neutral footprint by 2015. It is expected to enable the avoidance of about 106,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, and represents a significant step forward in Enbridge's commitment to generate a kilowatt of renewable energy for every kilowatt consumed by the company's operations.
The project created about 300 construction jobs and 10 full-time local jobs. It generated revenue for local businesses through almost C$60 million in capital expenditures, and will continue to generate local revenue through about C$7 million in annual operating expenditures. The Municipality will receive annual tax payments of about C$280,000.
The project delivers energy to the Ontario Power Authority under a 20-year Renewable Energy Supply (RES) III agreement. It is also receiving a one cent per kilowatt-hour energy production incentive over the next ten years from Natural Resources Canada's ecoENERGY for Renewable Power program.
Talbot Wind Project at a glance: Capacity peak: About 98,900 kilowatts Turbines: 43 Siemens 2.3-megawatt wind turbines Area: 11,500 hectares Annual yield: Around 300,000 megawatt-hours (corresponding to the annual consumption of around 33,000 households) CO2 saving: About 106,600 tonnes per year Total cost: C$285 million
About Enbridge
Enbridge Inc., a Canadian company, is a North American leader in delivering energy and one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations. As a transporter of energy, Enbridge operates, in Canada and the U.S., the world's longest crude oil and liquids transportation system. The Company also has a growing involvement in the natural gas transmission and midstream businesses, and is expanding its interests in renewable and green energy technologies including wind and solar energy, hybrid fuel cells and carbon dioxide sequestration. As a distributor of energy, Enbridge owns and operates Canada's largest natural gas distribution company, and provides distribution services in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State. Enbridge employs approximately 6,400 people, primarily in Canada and the U.S. and is ranked as one of Canada's Greenest Employers, and one of the Top 100 Companies to Work for in Canada. Enbridge's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ENB. For more information, visit enbridge.com
About RES Canada and RES Americas:
Renewable Energy Systems Canada Inc. (RES Canada), an affiliate of RES Americas, was founded in 2003 and is based in Montreal, Quebec, with an office in Oakville, Ontario. RES Canada develops and constructs wind and solar energy projects, serving as a third party construction partner for over 60% of its portfolio in most Canadian provinces. RES Canada is the developer and constructor of 198 megawatts (MW) in Ontario and has another 1,500 MW in its development pipeline.
Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES Americas) is a fully-integrated renewable energy company that develops, constructs, owns, and operates projects across the United States (US) and Canada. RES Americas has more than 5,200 MW under construction or constructed, which represents more than 10% of the operating installed wind capacity in the US, and has approximately 10,000 MW in development. RES Americas' corporate office is located in Broomfield, CO with regional offices located in Austin, TX, Portland, OR, and Minneapolis, MN. RES Americas is part of the RES Group, a leading international renewable energy developer. For more information, please visit www.res-americas.com.
Downloadable photographs and video clips are available at www.enbridge.com/talbotmedia
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