Solar project 1

Community benefits

• Local economic benefits – Local businesses will benefit from spin-off opportunities created by Homestead during development, construction and operations.
• Property taxes – Homestead will contribute annual property taxes to the MD of Willow Creek, resulting in financial benefits to the community.
• Local employment – Homestead will create about 400 full-time construction jobs and up to 10 full-time operations jobs, creating opportunities for local individuals and businesses.
• Green electricity generation – Homestead will generate emissions-free electricity for 163,000 homes and offset about 520,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
• Innovation – Homestead will employ leading-edge technologies and stimulate innovation and collaboration opportunities among education, business and government.

Stakeholder engagement

Kiwetinohk continues to engage with stakeholders, including landowners and community leaders, in the project area.  First Nation engagement is also underway.

We also recently undertook a Participant Involvement Program as part of the Alberta Utilities Commission Rule 007 application process, filing an application for the Homestead Solar Project Power Plant and Substation in April 2022.

Kiwetinohk’s goal is to ensure landowners, occupants, residents and other potentially impacted stakeholders near the proposed project are informed and engaged across the project’s lifecycle.

As part of the Participant Involvement Program Kiwetinohk mailed two newsletters to stakeholders within 800 metres of the project and communicated with other interested parties.

Stakeholders and landowners with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact Kiwetinohk at [email protected].

Environmental performance & assessments

Kiwetinohk has completed comprehensive environmental studies including wildlife studies, vegetation studies, wetlands delineation and habitat mapping for the Homestead Project. These studies and proposed mitigation measures were submitted to Alberta Environment and Parks in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Alberta Environment and Parks will issue a Renewable Energy Wildlife Referral Report following their review.

Kiwetinohk will consult with Alberta Environment and Parks to understand any potential concerns it may have and to incorporate their feedback.

Seeour noise and glare studies, available below.

Conservation & reclamation

Solar is a renewable resource that does not deplete overtime and Homestead is expected to have a project lifespan of more than 35 years. Yet today Kiwetinohk is already planning for site reclamation as part of project planning and development.

Repowering

Homestead’s project life could be extended through repowering, which involves reusing some of the existing components and replacing other components.

Decommissioning

Alternatively Homestead may be decommissioned at the end of project life:

• Land will be reclaimed in accordance with Alberta Environment and Parks Conservation and Reclamation Directive for Renewable Energy Generation, or applicable legislation at the time.
• A decommissioning plan and an initial conservation and reclamation plan will be developed for the Alberta Utilities Commission and the Municipal District of Willow Creek.