Facilities in Development

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:

• Environmental Evaluation Report
• Environmental Protection Plan
• Noise Impact Assessment

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.

To learn more about the AUC’s regulatory process please refer to the following brochure: Participating in the AUC’s independent review process.

Reference documents

• Air Quality Dispersion Modelling and Risk Assessment
• Filing Letter – January 2022
• Stakeholder Update – December 2021
• Project Newsletter – November 2021
• Project Map – October 2021
• Project Newsletter – October 2021
• WaterCharger Online Public Meeting – October 2021

Contact

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

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.

Contact

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

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.

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).

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.

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

• AUC Decision: Garden Plain Wind Power Project (April 12, 2019)
• Pembina Pipeline Corporation Long-Term PPA
• Project Layout
• Project Update – April 2017
• Project Update – June 2017
• Project Update – October 2017
• Project Update – October 2021