Major wind farm in Queens County moves forward with lease of Crown land

Developers of a large wind farm proposed for southern Nova Scotia say construction will begin next spring now that the company has secured Crown land near Milton in Queens County.

Last week, the Houston cabinet leased 72 hectares to Mersey River Wind Inc., a subsidiary of Roswall Development of Halifax.

The company plans to install 33 105-metre-tall turbines in a phased development that will eventually generate 148.5 megawatts of renewable electricity.

CEO Dan Roscoe says the lease allows them to take delivery of the 4.5-megawatt turbines, now expected in 2025.

"We can't buy turbines before we had land control. We needed this milestone of having access to the Crown land for what is ultimately the biggest wind farm ever approved in Nova Scotia," Roscoe said Monday.

In 2021 Roswall became the first company licensed to sell renewable electricity directly to customers, offering an alternative to Nova Scotia Power.

Part of provincial energy plan

Nova Scotia Power is still involved, however. It will charge tariffs to use the transmission and distribution system.

The Crown land approvals include a six-kilometre easement connecting the proposed wind farm to the large Nova Scotia Power substation at Milton.

Roscoe says its project will help meet provincial targets to have 80 per cent of electricity generated from renewable sources by 2030 when Nova Scotia Power must stop burning coal at its thermal plants.

"Our renewable to retail program can play a key role in accelerating our adoption of renewable energy and decarbonizing all of our industries and all of our public infrastructure," he said.

The three-phase development will see installation of eight, then 12, and finally 13 more turbines at the site, which was formerly owned by the Bowater Mersey pulp and paper company.

Green energy

"We've been working with a group of a few dozen commercial, industrial and institutional clients. But we're going to wait to hammer out the details of our timing before we make any announcement on who our first clients are," he said.

As Mersey River Wind capacity increases, the company will expand to provide green energy to anyone in the province who can access electricity from Nova Scotia Power's grid.

In 2021, Roswall forecast sales from its first phase to 15 industrial and about 800 residential customers starting in late 2023.

Timeline moves

The project received environmental assessment approval in March. At that point it expected construction to start in the summer or fall of this year. Roscoe says it narrowly missed delivery of turbines in 2024.

"We have high confidence in 2025 being achievable," he says.

The company revised the wind farm's layout to avoid rare lichens, old-growth forest stands and potential archaeological sites.

Proposed wind farm near Liverpool, N.S., plans to begin construction next spring

12 months ago

Duration 1:59

As Paul Withers reports, the proposed project in Queens County will offer electricity to consumers in this province — something they haven't had before.

Last month the province required more subsurface testing "for any areas of elevated archaeological potential."

Its bragging rights as the largest wind farm are not likely to last.

Natural Forces, in partnership with Wskijnu'k Mtmo'taqnuow Agency, owned by the 13 Mi'kmaw communities in Nova Scotia, plans to build the 150-megawatt Benjamin Mills wind farm in West Hants.