Alberta Opens Competition for 2nd and 3rd Rounds of Renewable Electricity Program
Apr 16, 2018
The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) has opened the first of a three-stage competitive process, under which bids will be considered to provide a total of 700 megawatts of renewable energy, or enough to power nearly 300,000 homes.
The program is expected to attract approximately $10 billion in new private investment and create about 7,000 jobs for Albertans by 2030. Opportunities are expected in a wide range of fields, including construction, electrical and mechanical engineering, project management, as well as jobs for IT specialists, field technicians, electricians and mechanics.
The second round of the program will see private-sector partnerships with Indigenous communities bidding to produce up to 300 megawatts of power. Each bid must include a minimum 25% Indigenous equity ownership component, which can include an ownership stake in the project or land-use agreement between the company and the community. This will help create jobs and economic benefits in Indigenous communities and across Alberta.
The third round will add up to 400 megawatts of renewable electricity and follow the same open competition format as the first round of the program, which saw strong investor confidence that resulted in historic success. Successful projects announced in December 2017 set a record for the lowest renewable electricity pricing in Canada.
In total, the program will support the development of 5,000 megawatts of renewable electricity capacity to help Alberta reach its target of having 30% renewable energy by 2030.
Find out more: www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=55695ADD3C996-CDCD-89D9-6A025089F93B3584
