The facility will be using the best available gas technology and will emit up to 50% less CO(2) per MW than current coal plants in Alberta.
ENMAX is committed to timely and meaningful consultation with stakeholders and to being an excellent corporate neighbour in the community.
ENMAX will work in a collaborative and responsive manner to share information about the proposed Shepard Energy Centre and listen to, understand and consider any stakeholder issues.
In a statement released today, Gary Holden, CEO of ENMAX Energy said:
"As Calgary's electricity demand continues to grow, we need to build cleaner generation facilities that are closer to the city, that have less impact on the environment than current coal-fired plants, are not vulnerable to long distance transmission lines that are increasingly difficult to build and are vulnerable to weather disruption at the times when power is most needed.
We also need to assure that we have secured cost efficient sources of new electricity for our EasyMax customers when they come to renew their contracts. We have a responsibility to continue to seek the best overall resources for our customer base.
Our vision is that our customers across the province will have access to state-of-the-art, incrementally cleaner than coal generation that will optimize existing infrastructure. This plant will become the template for future plants in Alberta because it is cleaner than coal and can be located closer to customers.
This project offers solutions to several existing Alberta system issues:
1. It stabilizes the southern Alberta power transmission grid. Power generation facilities that can quickly ramp up to meet customer demand will aid in the development of additional wind farms that are challenged by intermittent production.
2. It opens the door for greater export capacity and more wind generation overall.
3. By locating the facility closer to the demand for electricity, the need to transport electricity over long distances is reduced, and results in a dramatic impact in reducing electricity transmission line losses, bringing benefits to all Albertans.
4. It goes a long way to reducing the province's CO(2) emissions intensity from the electricity sector.
Our long term plan is to have 100% of our customers' needs matched by renewable energy, cogeneration or the best available clean coal or gas technology by the time current power purchase agreements are terminated.
This project is an important step in that direction."
Please visit the Shepard Energy Centre website at www.enmax.com/shepard for more information.
ENMAX Energy Corporation, a subsidiary of ENMAX Corporation, is Alberta's leading competitive electricity retailer. ENMAX Energy also provides natural gas and value-added services to residential, commercial and industrial customers throughout Alberta. ENMAX Energy is one of Alberta's largest investors in renewable energy with partial ownership of the McBride Lake Wind Farm and complete ownership of the Taber Wind Farm. ENMAX Energy's Greenmax was one of the first green power marketing programs in Canada, and celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2008. Visit our website at enmaxenergy.com.