Samsung Renewable Energy Inc. and Pattern Energy Group LP recently broke ground on the South Kent Wind energy project in Chatham-Kent, Ont.

The 270 Megawatt (MW) wind power project will use Ontario-made wind turbine blades and towers to generate clean, renewable energy equal to the needs of approximately 100,000 Ontario homes each year.

“Samsung and Pattern’s South Kent Wind project is a key component of the renewable energy economy we are building here in Chatham-Kent,” says the municipality’s mayor, Randy Hope. “South Kent Wind is generating green energy jobs, increasing the local tax base and driving economic growth.”

Workers and subcontractors from across Southwestern Ontario will be involved in the project – from the manufacturing and assembly of wind turbine components to the site construction, installation work and project operations. South Kent Wind will deploy 124 Ontario-made wind turbines. Siemens’ turbine blade facility in Tillsonburg, Ont., is manufacturing blades for the project and CS Wind’s facility in Windsor, Ont., is using Ontario-made steel to manufacture the turbine towers.

There will be an average of 300 workers on-site throughout project construction and approximately 500 workers during peak construction periods. Local subcontractors will be involved in various aspects of project construction, including building the access roads, installing foundations and erecting the turbine towers.

South Kent Wind will use TowerTEX’s TowerSHADE product on its wind turbines to mitigate the impact of the red lights at night on residents in the project area. The tower shades will eliminate light visibility in a 1.5 kilometre radius around the turbine, while allowing the light to be seen from above by aircraft.