J.D. Irving gets into wind farm business with $550M project in western N.B.

J.D. Irving Ltd. is taking a leap into the green energy business with plans for a 58-turbine wind farm.

The Brighton Mountain wind farm, near the hamlet of Juniper in Carleton County, will break ground in 2025, pending regulatory approval, the company has announced.

"The power will be sold to N.B. Power which will contribute to decarbonizing the province," says a website created to promote the project.

But there are still some loose ends, as the project needs regulatory approvals and an agreement with N.B. Power to purchase power.

N.B. Power spokesperson D'Arcy Walsh said in an email that N.B. Power does not currently have any power-purchasing agreements with J.D. Irving for the project, "and therefore it would be too early to comment on any aspects of the project at this time."

In 2023, the utility invited proposals for green energy projects in the province with an expectation to be live by 2027, the same timeline Brighton Mountain now gives.

With 58 turbines and a capacity for 350 megawatts, it would decrease the New Brunswick energy grid's reliance on fossil fuels by roughly nine per cent, according to the project website.

But the launch has also been somewhat lowkey. There has been no news release from the province, which normally highlights major business investments and projects of all kinds.

Information session planned

The area for the turbines falls into the municipalities of both Hartland and Carleton North, but neither mayor knew enough about the project to grant an interview.  

When reached by phone, Hartland Mayor Tracey DeMerchant said this was the first she was hearing of the project. Carleton North Mayor Andrew Harvey said he's waiting for an information session later this month where he expects to learn more.

Government spokesperson Nick Brown said Natural Resources and Energy Development Minister Mike Holland was unavailable for an interview Thursday but provided an email statement from him.

"As outlined in our Clean Energy Strategy, we intend to significantly grow our wind power generation over the next 12 years," Holland said in the statement, adding the province established goals for N.B. Power to acquire new cost-effective wind power deals.

Holland went on to say "there is a process in place for developing wind farms," and Brighton Mountain still needs to complete a environmental impact assessment and reach a power-purchasing agreement with N.B. Power.

The Brighton Mountain website touts the project as helping reach an agreement between the federal government, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in October 2023 to phase out coal-fired generation in the electricity sector by 2030, net-zero electricity, or no greenhouse gas emissions, by 2035 and a net-zero economy by 2050.

"Securing clean energy sources to support traditional industries within N.B., such as pulp and paper, will help to maintain the longevity and viability of current JDI operations throughout the province," the environmental impact assessment says.

The project is described as the company's "first wind development project as a proponent," but the assessment says J.D. Irving affiliate companies have experience building and maintaining turbines.

Green leader supports project

Green Party Leader David Coon said the JDI project would be a "big deal" for the province, given wind farm's large size and the fact it's owned by a New Brunswick-based company.

The province only has one wind farm of similar size, the Kent Hills operation near Moncton.

"N.B. Power needs to have a considerable amount of renewable energy come onto the grid this decade in order to meet their requirements with the phase-out of the coal plant in Belledune," Coon said.

"So this fits right into their plan."

Coon said he is worried there is no agreement with N.B. Power yet.

"My only concern is that we hear from N.B. Power that there is a power-purchase agreement, they've agreed on a price, so that this will go forward without a hitch."

Project not intended for federal carbon credit

JDI spokesperson Anne McInerney said no one was available for an interview because the project is in the early application phase, but she offered to answer questions over email.

Asked if JDI would use the project to apply for the federal greenhouse gas offset credit system, designed to motivate corporations to invest in green energy, McInerney said in an email "that's not the intention."

She said the company's "focus is on our application and approval process," when asked if the project represented a new direction for J.D. Irving.

200 jobs, only 20 permanent 

The website says more than 200 jobs will be created during construction, but the 475-page assessment reveals the number of full-time jobs, once the project is operating, will be 20.

The first phase of construction will be complete by 2027, at a cost of about $550 million, the website says. A frequently asked questions section addresses concerns residents may raise, saying that the project will not decrease property values, be loud when operating, or disrupt wildlife.

The turbines are just over 200 metres tall and have an estimated service life of 25 years. After that timeline is reached, the assessment says, the structures could either be taken down or J.D. Irving can consult with government to "extend the life of the project."

The project will also see construction of two substations and a terminal station to tie into the existing energy grid, but an existing network of company logging roads in the area already provides access, the website says.

Nineteen environmental studies were done for the project in 2023 and another 16 are planned this year. These studies look at species in the area, wetlands and vegetation.

The location is very rural, and there is only one full-time residence, just under a kilometre from a planned turbine. Some remote cabins and shacks are also nearby, the report says.