The Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) will begin a virtual hearing next week to review two major solar power proposals that could bring more than 400 megawatts of renewable energy to eastern Alberta.
The hearing, set to begin Monday, Aug. 11 at 10 a.m., will consider combined applications from UK Solar East Ltd. and UK Solar West Ltd., both subsidiaries of Universal Kraft Canada Renewables Ltd. A test session is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 5 to ensure technical access.
The two proposed solar farms, Oyen 1 and Oyen 2, would be located northwest of the town of Oyen and span over 2,400 acres of privately owned, cultivated land. Together, the projects are expected to generate up to 430 megawatts of electricity. The Oyen 1 Solar Project would produce 268.4 megawatts across 1,450 acres, while the Oyen 2 Solar Project would add 162 megawatts on 959 acres.
Each site would include a 240-kilovolt substation to support the transmission of electricity to Alberta’s power grid.
The AUC decided to proceed with an oral hearing after receiving requests from the Oyen Solar Opposition Group, which argued that a written-only process would not adequately allow for public participation. The commission had initially considered the projects separately but merged them into a single proceeding in April under Proceeding 29307.
While the commission may limit the hearing's scope based on the written evidence submitted before the June 9 deadline, both proposals will be reviewed together during the oral proceedings.
Documents related to the applications are available through the AUC’s eFiling System. Members of the public interested in participating must register through the system and may qualify for funding if they are granted standing in the proceeding.
Additional details are available at www.auc.ab.ca or by contacting the commission directly.