AMHERST – As it passes the halfway mark of its $61-million Amherst wind project, Sprott Power is already looking at its options for expansion.
“We’re looking at possibly expanding our project in Amherst, going to the east of the Trans-Canada Highway,” company chief operating officer Don Bartlett said Friday. “We’re just investigating it now, but it’s something we’re considering.”
Barlett said he is not at liberty to talk about what the expansion plans are, other than to say there will be a public presentation in the coming months detailing what what the company wants to do.
“As we move forward we’ll make some public announcements,” he said.
Before it moves across the highway it would have to go through the entire regulatory process including having an environmental assessment and public consultations completed.
It also needs to collect weather data, including the prevalence of wind on the east side of the marsh.
Any expansion would also hinge on the company being successful in the next round of requests for proposal from the province.
The Ontario-based company started work on the Amherst project last fall and completed the eighth of 15 turbines early Friday. The north side of the project, nearest Fort Lawrence, has been completed. Work is now focused on the south side, closest to the Trans-Canada Highway and the Wandlyn Inn hotel.
dcole@amherstdaily.com
