ENMAX Energy is pleased to announce its intention to build and operate up to 120 megawatts (MW) of clean, natural gas-fired power generation near Crossfield, located about 10 kms north of Airdrie. The Crossfield Energy Centre is scheduled to be generating electricity mid 2009.
In a statement released today, Gary Holden, CEO of ENMAX Energy said:
“The proposed Crossfield Energy Centre will bring several benefits:
- It will help the Alberta Electric System Operator in its task of ensuring adequate power for Southern Alberta.
- It will help to keep electricity costs as low as possible for ENMAX Energy’s customers by reducing their exposure to volatile energy markets.
- As a rapid-response, natural gas-fired facility, it will help stabilize the province’s southern transmission grid and thereby support the introduction of further wind farms.
- It also will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing transmission line losses from coal-fired stations in central Alberta.”
As a “peaking” facility, the Crossfield Energy Centre will be designed to meet periods of high electrical demand, which generally occur in the daytime during periods of high summer heat or low winter temperatures. Depending on weather and customer demand, the Centre is expected to operate about 15 to 45 per cent of the time.
ENMAX is committed to timely and meaningful consultation with stakeholders and being an excellent corporate neighbour in the community. ENMAX will work in a collaborative and responsive manner to share information about the proposed Crossfield Energy Centre and listen to, understand and address any stakeholder issues.
ENMAX Energy is continuing to make good progress on the planned 1,200 MW plant near Calgary, announced in April. In the period since then, the vendor selection process has started and a site location announcement is planned within the next three months.
Please visit the Crossfield Energy Centre website at www.enmax.com/crossfield for more information.
ENMAX Energy Corporation, a subsidiary of ENMAX Corporation, is Alberta’s leading competitive electricity retailer. In addition to electricity, ENMAX Energy provides natural gas, renewable energy and value-added services to residential, commercial and industrial customers throughout Alberta. ENMAX Energy contracts low-cost reliable electricity from the Keephills and Battle River coal-fired plants and meets peak demand through a long term agreement with the natural gas fired Calgary Energy Centre. Through a subsidiary, it is one of Alberta’s largest investors in renewable energy with 50 per cent ownership of the McBride Lake Wind Farm and 100 per cent ownership of the Taber Wind Farm. ENMAX Energy has the largest green power marketing program of its kind in Canada and in 2006, received the Consumer Champion Award for its ground-breaking EasyMax® program. For more information, visit our website at enmaxenergy.com.
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