Capital Power confirms unfinished wind turbine to be taken down

Stu Salkeld

The corporation that owns and operates the Halkirk wind farm has confirmed work is proceeding on a turbine that suffered a failure last year.

An update from Capital Power on Halkirk-area wind farm projects confirmed an under-construction turbine that had parts falling off of it last year is being taken down. “Since our last project update on May 16, 2025, Borea has started reclamation work, excluding the quarter section on which T33 is located,” stated the Capital Power press release which was forwarded by a Rural Alberta Report reader.

Readers should note Borea is a contractor working for Capital Power. “Borea will begin work to safely tear down T33’s tower in mid to late June. Pending weather conditions, the tower is expected to be dismantled in a week. In preparation for the tower takedown and eventual rebuild, work will begin this week to temporarily reconstruct intersection improvements to accommodate the oversize loads.

“The temporary intersection improvements will remain in place for the future rebuild of T33 and then be reclaimed. “A crane will be mobilized to the T33 pad in advance of the take down where the five tower sections will be dismantled. The tower sections will be removed from the site and recycled to the extent possible.”

The press release continued, “On May 20, 2025, the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) ruled on our motion seeking confidential treatment over certain information filed in investigative reports to mitigate the disclosure of proprietary and commercially sensitive information. 

The commission agreed to grant confidential treatment and limit access of confidential information to the commission panel and staff assigned to this proceeding, and the independent expert retained by the commission.

“As of May 30, the commission has not communicated the expected timing of its own independent expert’s report on the T33 investigation or the full process schedule. Until the AUC rules that Capital Power has satisfied the conditions of the amended suspension order, we cannot resume commissioning activities to begin commercial operations.”