SaskPower: Joint Ventures Sought For Wind Power

REGINA, SK -- SaskPower International is seeking expressions of interest from private sector parties to enter into joint venture arrangements as the corporation develops up to 150 megawatts of wind generation in Saskatchewan.

'Joint ventures and partnerships are important to achieving made-in-Saskatchewan solutions that address climate change and grow our economy,' said Hon. Maynard Sonntag, Minister of Crown Investments Corporation. 'SaskPower's leadership in wind power development reflects the Government's commitment to a Green Power portfolio of initiatives that were announced in the recent Throne Speech.'

'Partnering with industry is an approach to supply planning that has been very successful at SaskPower. When we work with world class firms - as is the case in our Energy Performance Contracting service partnership with Honeywell - SaskPower is able to tap into industry expertise in project development and implementation, while minimizing our capital expenditures. I expect the same results from our joint venture to expand wind power in the province,' said John Wright, president and CEO, SaskPower.

As SaskPower's development subsidiary, SaskPower International is inviting a number of parties to formally indicate their interest in exploring the formation of a joint venture for the purposes of developing, owning and operating wind generation in Saskatchewan. Several parties with recent and proven records in the planning, design, construction, investment and operation of generation facilities or energy projects are being provided with information on the selection process. The deadline for responses is June 16, 2003.

SaskPower International intends to select one or more parties for the joint venture(s) by September 2003. The first phase of the wind power development(s) could commence operations as early as 2004/2005 with all 150 MW - about the same amount of electricity used by 64,000 homes annually - operational by March 2007.

Saskatchewan is currently the third largest wind power generator in Canada, with a combined capacity of 17.1 MW generated by two facilities, including SaskPower's wholly owned Cypress Wind Power Facility in southwestern Saskatchewan.

SaskPower