Massive energy project will add 200MW of power to grid
Construction on what will be New Brunswick’s largest wind farm continues, with the first massive wind turbine scheduled to arrive at Brighton Mountain Wind Limited in 2027.
The 200-megawatt wind farm, located southeast of Juniper on J.D. Irving Limited-owned property, is owned by J. D. Irving. The 34-turbine wind farm will provide enough electricity to power about 100,000 homes. In December 2025, NB Power announced it had signed a power purchase agreement with Brighton Mountain Wind Limited to purchase 200 megawatts of energy from the project.
“Work is progressing well and on schedule. Blasting will continue this summer and into the fall to largely complete the development of roads and turbine pads,” said Anne McInerney, vice president of communications for J.D. Irving. “The first turbines are scheduled to arrive in summer 2027.”
Not everyone is happy to see the project go ahead. Jean Arnold, speaking on behalf of the Facebook group Carleton County Wind Farm updates and concerns, questioned the environmental consequences of the large-scale construction project.
“Several areas merit continued attention to ensure that environmental effects are fully understood, mitigation measures are effective, and commitments made through the EIA are implemented and verified throughout the life of the project.
“As construction progresses, the emphasis should increasingly focus on environmental performance, monitoring, transparency and accountability,” Arnold said in a letter outlining reaction to the EIA approval. “As the group of citizens and neighbours to The Brighton Wind Farm, we did everything in our capacity to call for public meetings, to input to the EIA at every stage, to ask for assistance from the two municipalities Hartland and Carleton North which both have municipal jurisdiction on the Brighton Mountain site.”
In a progress report, the company said that blasting and construction activities continue throughout the site to develop roads and turbine pads. Turbine foundations are being poured, with work continuing until November. Installation of the concrete foundations for the future substation and terminal station is ongoing.
Access to the site through recreational trails is closed while construction is underway. Trail users are asked to follow additional construction signage throughout the project and at site entrances.
“Trail users have broadly complied with the closure. In the few cases where a vehicle has attempted to access the site, we have communicated with them and they have turned back. We have also worked with trail users to provide alternate routes where possible,” McInerney said.
Arnold said the committee doesn’t think the public had adequate opportunity to express questions and concerns before EIA approval was granted.
EIA conditions
The provincial EIA outlined numerous conditions that the project must adhere to, including subsurface archaeological testing, an ongoing wildlife emergency response plan, a spill response contingency plan, and measures for on-site concrete production, if needed.
“The proponent must ensure that if a nest or chick of a migratory bird is detected during project construction, work in the area must be halted and CWS (Canadian Wildlife Service) must be consulted for advice… The mortality of an individual migratory bird species at risk or 10 or more migratory birds in one night is considered a mortality event for which CWS must be contacted within 24 hours.”
The company must also provide two-year bird and bat survey reports and follow-up monitoring of bird and bat usage and mortality, in consultation with the Canadian Wildlife Service and the province. The project proponent must also complete a surface water monitoring plan for review, as well as a watercourse and wetland alteration permit. The company must compensate permanent impacts on wetlands at a 2:1 ratio.
Once the wind turbines are operational, the company must monitor shadow flicker, the repeating flickering on the landscape and any buildings nearby when rotating wind turbine blades pass between the sun and a window. If the shadow flicker exceeds the guidelines, the company must provide mitigation measures, including vegetation, awnings for impacted building owners, and/or operational shutdowns during the expected shadow-flicker times.
