“This is excellent timing for TransAlta Renewables and the College because they are decommissioning the equipment at Cowley Ridge,” said Heartt. “We appreciate the donation from TransAlta, and also the efforts of our industry partners who helped get the Nacelle here.”
Cowley Ridge wind farm, located west of Pincher Creek, Alberta, is one of Canada’s oldest wind farms and has been owned and operated by TransAlta Renewables for 23 years. Industry partners who donated their services to deliver, hoist and rig the Nacelle were Mammoet Canada Western Ltd., Kikinaw Energy Services Ltd., and The Driving Force Inc.
Kikinaw Energy Services is also proudly owned and operated by an NLC alumnus. Kikinaw president Kory Wood achieved his Electrician apprenticeship levels and contractor’s license on the Fort St. John Campus.
“The men and women in the Wind Turbine Maintenance program are entering an exciting industry that is growing every year. The fact that our local college is helping build ‘home grown’ talent will be a strong asset as the Wind Industry continues to grow in the Peace,” said Wood.
“This is a great day to celebrate student success and industry partnerships as well as our Wind Turbine instructor Nathan Campbell’s initiative,” said NLC president and CEO Dr. Bryn Kulmatycki. “It was Nathan’s drive to source this donation and we greatly appreciate the generosity of TransAlta and all the industry partners who were involved in making it happen.”
“It’s moments like this that make me very proud to be from the Peace Region,” agreed NLC Board of Governors chair John Kurjata. “The group effort that made this donation possible will go a long way to giving our students an excellent applied learning experience and it’s a great thing for these companies to know that they made that possible.”
The College’s Cook Training program also contributed a fine dining experience for the donor event by cooking and serving several types of delicious hors d’oeuvres.
For more information on the Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician program, visit nlc.bc.ca or email studentrecuiter@nlc.bc.ca.
Important TransAlta Renewables donation benefits Wind Turbine program
