Canada - Canadian Hydro announces official opening of country’s largest wind energy installation

Canadian Hydro Developers, Inc. (Canadian Hydro) announced today the Official Opening of the Melancthon EcoPower® Centre. The Melancthon EcoPower® Centre is located in Melancthon and Amaranth Townships near Shelburne, Ontario, two hours northwest of Toronto and is 100% owned and operated by Canadian Hydro. The 199.5 MW Melancthon EcoPower® Centre is the largest wind energy installation in Canada.

Construction of the Melancthon EcoPower® Centre began with the 67.5 MW Phase I in the spring of 2005 and achieved commercial operation on March 4, 2006. Construction of the 132 MW Phase II of the project began in the autumn of 2007 and is expected to achieve commercial operation in November of this year. All of the electricity and environmental attributes (Renewable Energy Certificates or RECs) are sold to the Ontario Power Authority under two, 20-year Renewable Energy Supply contracts (RES contracts). Annual average long-term generation from the EcoPower® Centre is expected to be 545 GWh, enough to power approximately 70,000 average homes.

“The Melancthon EcoPower® Centre is a win for Ontarians and for Canadian Hydro,” said John Keating, Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Hydro. “This mutually-beneficial relationship provides long-term, stable electricity prices to Ontarians and, in return, we receive long-term, stable cash flows that ensure the economic viability of our Company. Phase II of the Melancthon EcoPower® Centre is one of two fully-financed projects that will double the size of Canadian Hydro in the coming months. By generating low-impact, renewable energy, Melancthon is also a win for the environment. Canadian Hydro is the working model for the renewable energy industry in Canada. We thank the federal and provincial governments, the local townships, landowners and local community members for supporting our commitment to Building a Sustainable Future®.”

“We are proud that Canadian Hydro Developers, Inc. picked Ontario as the location for Canada’s largest wind farm,” said George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. “This important investment not only has valuable spinoff benefits for the local community, but benefits all Ontarians by boosting our supply of nonpolluting power.”

Canadian Hydro Developers, Inc. is committed to Building a Sustainable Future®. The Company is the largest and most diversified developer, owner, and operator of 20 power generation facilities in Canada totaling net 364 MW of capacity in operation, 517 MW in and nearing construction, and 1,632 MW in development. The renewable generation portfolio is diversified across three technologies (water, wind, and biomass) in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. This portfolio is unique in Canada as all facilities are certified, or slated for certification, under Environment Canada’s EcoLogoM Program.

For more information, please contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net