Meikle Wind
Peace Region, British Columbia
| Commercial Operation | 2017 |
| Facility Megawatt Capacity | 179 |
| Owned Megawatts | 91 |
| Equipment Manufacturer | General Electric |
| Equipment Model | 2.53 MW - 3.2 MW |
| Equipment Quantity | 61 |
| Power Purchaser | BC Hydro |
| Revenue Type | PPA |
| Contract Tenor | 2042 |
298 Million
gallons of water conserved
627,000
metric tons of CO2 avoided
54,000
houses powered
*Offset metrics are based on comparison with region coal fleet emissions when available or average US coal fleet
Meikle Wind, located in the mountainous Peace Region, is the largest wind power facility in British Columbia. The facility was specially developed to capture the most energy from the surrounding ridgelines by accounting for varying wind speeds, wind shear, turbulence, and inflow angles.
Community
Over its first 25 years, Meikle Wind will contribute more than $70 million in payments through property taxes, the Crown lease, Wind Participation Rent, and community benefits. An average of 150 workers were on site during construction, and the facility employs nine full-time operations employees with local subcontractors as needed.
We have many communities around us that we proudly welcome, including First Nation members. We support education throughout the community, including the world-class outdoor education centre at Gwilliam Lake, and our local elementary schools, high schools, and community colleges.
Environment
Compared to coal-fired generation, each year Meikle Wind offsets CO2 equal to the emissions of 123,000 cars and conserves enough water to supply more than 8,750 people.
The site is remote and often covered with snow year-round. This does not dissuade our wildlife visitors, including a family of five bears, moose, lynx, and plenty of deer. We consider the local animals to be extended family and have named the largest bear Maximus. During construction, workers made the discovery of fossilized tracks of a rare dinosaur, which were donated to the Tumbler Ridge Museum.
Technology
Meikle Wind is a 179 MW facility with 61 GE turbines that range in size from 2.53 MW to 3.2 MW. The project’s innovative layout, developed in collaboration with GE, includes two different turbine models with varying rotor sizes and hub heights. Construction was performed by Borea Construction.
The facility entered into commercial operations in January of 2017 and sells 100% of its electrical output and environmental attributes under a power purchase agreement with BC Hydro.
Construction of Meikle Wind
Video produced by: Borea Constuction
