Greengate Power Receives Provincial Approval for Alberta's Largest Wind
Energy Project

CALGARY , Jan. 12 /CNW/ - Greengate Power Corporation ("Greengate") has received approval from the Alberta Utilities Commission ("AUC") to construct and operate its Halkirk I Wind Project pursuant to Section 11 of the Alberta Hydro and Electric Act. Greengate is expecting to begin construction on the project later this year, with a target commercial operation date of Q1 2011.

Greengate initially filed its application requesting approval from the AUC for the Halkirk I Wind Project at the end of February 2009 . Since that time, the AUC conducted an extensive review of the project's participant involvement program, environmental impact assessment, potential visual and noise impacts, proposed gathering system routing, potential impacts on pipelines, and other pre-requisite project approvals. Ultimately, the AUC was satisfied that approval of the project is in the public interest and that the project complies with all regulatory requirements.

Upon completion, the Halkirk I Wind Project will be Alberta's largest operating wind energy project with a total generating capacity of 150 MW. The project is located in Central Alberta in the County of Paintearth near the Village of Halkirk, approximately 275 km northeast of Calgary .

"We are very pleased to have received AUC approval for what will be Alberta's largest wind energy project," said Dan Balaban , President and CEO of Greengate. "The AUC was very diligent in its review, and with this key approval in place we expect to commence construction later this year."

The Halkirk I Wind Project will provide substantial economic benefits to rural Alberta in the form of new jobs, increased tax revenues and royalties for landowners. The project will also have a significant positive impact on Alberta's environmental performance by supplying a clean source of electricity for approximately 50,000 homes, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 300,000 tonnes per year, equivalent to removing 60,000 cars from Alberta's roads.

Greengate Power Corporation is a privately held renewable energy project developer based in Calgary , Alberta. Focused on the development of quality wind energy projects in Alberta with access to existing transmission, Greengate is currently developing 1,550 MW of wind energy projects on approximately 200,000 acres of private land. For more information on Greengate, please visit www.greengatepower.com.

For further information: Media Inquiries - Please Contact: Deekay Fox, Manager, Marketing & Corporate Communications, [phone] x 206, [email protected]