Facilities

With over 100 years in the power business, TransAlta is an experienced and reliable partner to help supply your business with the energy solutions it needs. We have 76 energy assets in our portfolio. Our diverse fleet of Hydro, Wind, Solar, Natural Gas, and Cogeneration generate about 7,400 MW of electricity, making us well-positioned to deliver the right energy solution for your business.

A comprehensive list of TransAlta’s projects in development as well as current facilities in operation will be added to our website by September 2022. If you require a full list of our facilities before that time, please contact our Corporate Head Office

Projects in Development

  • WaterCharger Battery Storage – Cochrane, AB

    WaterCharger Battery Storage – Cochrane, AB

    Quick facts:

    • Location: Cochrane, AB
    • Fuel: Energy Storage
    • Capacity (MW): 180
    • Ownership: 100%
    • Operator: Yes
    • First on-stream: 2023
    • Revenue Source: Merchant
    • Builder: Yes

    The WaterCharger Battery Storage Project (“Project”) is located on approximately nine acres of TransAlta owned lands that are part of the Ghost Hydro-electric facility. The Project is located about 18 kilometers west of the Town of Cochrane in Rocky View County. TransAlta wishes to develop this Project to provide reliable electricity service to the Alberta electrical grid and support the development of additional renewable energy for Albertans.

    The battery facility is designed to be charged by electricity produced by the existing Ghost Hydro-electric facility when demand is lower, for example at night, and discharged to support the stability of the electric grid during times of higher demand. It will generate up to a maximum of 180 MW with potential for two phases.

    Project update

    On January 21, 2022, TransAlta filed its Battery Storage Facility Application to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) for the WaterCharger Battery Storage Project. The application has been assigned Proceeding Number 27109.

    To review the application and associated reports filed with the AUC, you can access them through the AUC website. To access the application, you must create an account and then search for the filing using the proceeding number 27109.

    In December 2021, TransAlta published the following reports on the Project webpage and these remain for your review:

    Some of these reports appear as drafts at this stage as they are considered living documents and will be updated as the project progresses. For example, the Environmental Protection Plan and Noise Impact Assessment will be revised once the battery vendor is selected. The documents will be finalized prior to the start of construction. The reports on this webpage will be updated as the project progresses.

    As we have received recent questions related to the risk of battery fires, the risk of leaching or leaking from the batteries, noise concerns and the construction of power lines, please refer to the Stakeholder Update – December 2021 for answers to these questions.

    Regulatory requirements

    The AUC issued a notice of hearing on May 16, 2022 for the WaterCharger Project. The commission will host a virtual hearing, commencing on August 3, 2022, at 10 a.m.

    Learn more about the AUC’s regulatory process on their website.

    Reference documents

    Contact

    Phone: 1-888-893-8054
    Email: TransAltaWaterCharger@maskwaenv.com

  • Tempest – Warner County, AB

    Tempest – Warner County, AB

    Quick facts:

    • Location: Warner County, AB
    • Fuel: Wind
    • Capacity (MW): 100
    • Ownership: 100%
    • Operator: Yes
    • First on-stream: Q4 2024
    • Revenue Source: TBD
    • Builder: Yes
    • Contract Expiry: TBD

    The Tempest Wind Power Project (the Project or Tempest) is a proposed 100-megawatt (MW) wind project located approximately 22 km south of Taber and 32 km east of Lethbridge in Warner County, Alberta. The Project will consist of up to 22 wind turbine generators, each with a capacity to generate between 4.5 to 6 MW of power. The final turbine technology will be confirmed as the project advances through the development process.

    The Project is being developed by TransAlta Corporation and we plan to construct, own and operate Tempest wind facility. Current target commercial operation date for the Project is December 2024. As part of our ongoing development efforts, TransAlta has completed the full suite of environmental studies required by Alberta Environment and Parks; continues collecting wind data and advancing its engineering efforts; advancing the project through the AESO interconnection queue; and is on track to submit an application for permit and license to build, own and operate the facility to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) in fall of 2022.

    More information will be shared about the Project in the coming months as we kickoff of stakeholder consultation in accordance with the AUC’s Rule 007 Participant Involvement Program. We welcome and value stakeholder participation and feedback. This webpage will be updated with new information as it becomes available.

    Learn more about the AUC’s regulatory process on their website.

    Reference documents

    Contact

    Phone: (877) 547-3365 Extension 1
    Email: projects@transalta.com

  • Prairie Violet – Marshall County, IL

    Prairie Violet – Marshall County, IL

    Quick facts:

    • Location: Marshall County, IL
    • Fuel: Wind
    • Capacity (MW): 200
    • Ownership: 100%
    • Operator: N/A
    • First on-stream: TBD
    • Revenue Source: TBD
    • Builder: N/A
    • Contract Expiry: TBD

    TransAlta acquired the Prairie Violet Wind Project in December 2019. Prairie Violet Wind is an early-stage development project located in Marshall County, Illinois, approximately 39 miles northeast of Peoria, Illinois.

    The project has a nameplate capacity of up to 200 MW.

  • White Rock – Caddo County, OK

    White Rock – Caddo County, OK

    Quick facts:

    • Location: Caddo County, OK
    • Fuel: Wind
    • Capacity (MW): 300
    • Ownership: 100%
    • Operator: N/A
    • First on-stream: TBD
    • Revenue Source: TBD
    • Builder: N/A
    • Contract Expiry: TBD

    TransAlta acquired the White Rock Wind Project in December 2019. White Rock Wind is a mid-stage development project located in Caddo County, Oklahoma, approximately 65 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. The project is comprised of two phases – White Rock East and White Rock West. The White Rock East phase is located on approximately 22,000 acres and the White Rock West phase is located on approximately 10,000 acres.

    The project will have a combined nameplate capacity of 300 MW (White Rock East – 200 MW and White Rock West – 100 MW).

  • Horizon Hill – Logan County, OK

    Horizon Hill – Logan County, OK

    Quick facts:

    • Location: Logan County, OK
    • Fuel: Wind
    • Capacity (MW): 200
    • Ownership: 100%
    • Operator: N/A
    • First on-stream: TBD
    • Revenue Source: TBD
    • Builder: N/A
    • Contract Expiry: TBD

    TransAlta acquired the Horizon Hill Wind Project in December 2019. Horizon Hill Wind is a late-stage development project located in Logan County, Oklahoma, approximately 39 miles north of Oklahoma City. The project is located on approximately 25,000 acres of privately owned land.

    The Project will have a nameplate capacity of 200 MW.

    The Horizon Hill Wind Project represents TransAlta’s most advanced wind development site in the SPP market.

  • Garden Plain – Hanna/Castor, AB

    Garden Plain – Hanna/Castor, AB

    Quick facts:

    • Location: Hanna/Castor, AB
    • Fuel: Wind
    • Capacity (MW): 130
    • Ownership: 100%
    • Operator: Yes
    • First on-stream: Q4 2022
    • Revenue Source: LTC
    • Builder: Yes
    • Contract Expiry: 2040

    The 130 MW Garden Plain Wind Project is located on approximately 14,000 acres of privately-owned land north of Hanna and south of Castor, Alberta, in Paintearth County and Special Area No. 2.

    Recognizing the many positive attributes that this site holds, from its desirable wind resource, environmental suitability, and proximity to transmission, TransAlta completed the necessary permitting and regulatory requirements and submitted a facilities application to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) to seek a permit to construct and a license to operate the facility.

    In April 2019, the AUC issued its decision regarding TransAlta facilities application and granted a permit and license for the Garden Plain Wind Project.

    In May 2021, TransAlta entered into a long-term Power Purchase Agreement with Pembina Pipeline Corporation for the offtake of 100 MW for an 18-year term.

    Reference documents

Facilities Undergoing Reclamation

  • Highvale Mine – Wabamun, AB

    Highvale Mine – Wabamun, AB

    Quick facts:

    • Location: Wabamun, AB
    • Legacy Fuel: Coal
    • Operator: Yes
    • Completion: 2046

    Highvale Mine Decommissioning & Reclamation Plan and 10-year Renewal

    Active coal mining at TransAlta’s Highvale Mine ceased at the end of December 2021 with the end of coal-fired generation at the Keephills and Sundance power plants. Operations at the Highvale Mine shifted to full-time reclamation in January 2022 with plans to have the Highvale Mine fully reclaimed by 2046.

    TransAlta submitted under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (“EPEA”) a combined Decommissioning Plan and Final Reclamation Plan for the Highvale Mine to the Alberta Energy Regulator (“AER”). At the same time, TransAlta filed a 10-year Renewal for the Highvale Mine under EPEA, the Water Act and the Coal Conservation Act in June 2022.

    Reference documents

    Contact

    TransAlta
    Phone: 1-877-636-7822
    Email: AB_Coal_Communications@transalta.com

     

Facilities

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