Let it blow: new wind project to be built in southwest Sask.

Land in the southwest Saskatchewan area of Blue Hills will be the new home for a handful of windmills.

SaskPower and Algonquin Power have agreed to put the 177 megawatt wind project between Herbert and Neidpath, Sask.

It was originally planned to be installed near Chaplin, Sask., but the change was made due to environmental concerns.

The new agreed upon site fits the guidelines established by the province’s Ministry of Environment.

“The Blue Hills project plays a key role in our ability to achieve our goal of doubling our renewable generating capacity by 2030,” said SaskPower president and CEO Mike Marsh in a news release Thursday.

“We’re expecting wind power to make up about 30 per cent of our capacity within that same timeframe, so we anticipate there will be many more opportunities for wind and other renewable energy projects in the future.”

The project now has to go through a review process through the environment ministry and is expected to be up and running by 2020.