Windstream Energy has announced its decision to invest in Kingston, home to Ontario’s first contracted offshore wind power project. At a press conference yesterday organized by the Lake Ontario Offshore Network (LOON), Windstream announced preliminary agreements with Anchor Concrete Products Ltd., George A. Wright & Son Ltd. and M. Sullivan & Son Ltd. for its 300 MW Wolfe Island Shoals offshore wind power project.
These three companies will be providing onsite maintenance for the project, local project support during construction, supply concrete elements for the project and build the dock and shore facilities within Kingston.
As a concrete fabricator, Anchor Concrete Products Ltd. will be providing concrete services for the electrical substation, will supply concrete for the project and will build the project’s dock. George A. Wright & Son Ltd. will provide local fabrication and repair services for mechanical equipment, as well as provide equipment for the service platforms on the windmills. M. Sullivan & Son Ltd. will be the contractor for the local construction of the port and shore facilities.
An AECOM study commissioned by Windstream estimates approximately 1900 jobs will be created in Ontario during the first five years of construction of the project. Windstream holds the only offshore wind power Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) contract in the Province of Ontario, which was awarded by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) in May 2010. The project is planned to be located from five to sixteen kilometers off the southwest shore of Wolfe Island, in eastern Lake Ontario.
“Kingston has a talented pool of labour, and companies with the high tech skills needed to complete these complex jobs. Today’s announcement strengthens the Kingston community by finding quality jobs for our students and encouraging them to establish roots in our community. Kingston is looking forward to being part of the first offshore wind power project in North America” stated Mark Gerretsen, Mayor of the City of Kingston.
“The Wolfe Island Shoals project has the possibility of attracting short term and long term jobs. Kingston’s regional economy stands to greatly benefit from offshore wind moving ahead and KEDCO will do what it can to support LOON’s efforts,” stated Jeff Garrah, CEO of KEDCO.
“Windstream is looking forward to bringing jobs and investments to the communities that will host this project. The local Kingston expertise related to this niche project will be exportable and will make Kingston a hub for future development. Windstream is ready to bring this investment and these jobs to Kingston,” stated Ian Baines, President of Windstream Energy.
“M Sullivan & Son Ltd are extremely proud and fortunate to be part of LOON. The Windstream Wolfe Island Shoals project will no doubt be a shot in the arm for local trade construction workers and I hope that all governing bodies will come to realize this soon,” stated Greg Sullivan, Vice President of M. Sullivan & Son Ltd.
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Offshore WIND staff, January 26, 2012