Welcome to the website for the Benjamin's Mill Project. This website has been created to provide information to community members, First Nations, government and other stakeholders about the proposed project. Natural Forces is committed to meeting with stakeholders about our projects. Open houses and other community engagement activities are planned for this project and the website will be updated as information is available.

About the project

The proposed project will consist of 10-12 wind turbines that will have an installed capacity of 50MW, enough electricity to power over 17,000 Nova Scotian homes. The project is located in the West Hants area of Hants County, approximately 10km from the town of Windsor.

The project is proposed by Natural Forces, an independent power producer based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. For more information on  Natural Forces, visit www.naturalforces.ca.

Why here?

When developing a wind project, it is crucial to find the best suitable location and community to host it.  To do so, there are four main factors to consider during the site finding phase of development: ​
  • Wind resource
  • Distance to existing electrical and civil infrastructure
  • Environmental sensitivity
  • Socio-economic concerns 
Nova Scotia has excellent wind resources, so generating electricity is feasible in many locations around the province. Factors other than the strength and consistency of the wind must be taken into account when considering a site, such as proximity to the electricity grid, road access, ecology, archaeology, and cultural significance, proximity to residential dwellings, and health concerns.

​The location of the Benjamin's Mill Wind Project was selected after a thorough review of all of these factors.

Our process

1. Development - Current Phase
  • Assess the wind resource
  • Survey for environmentally sensitive features 
  • Optimize turbine location to capture the wind efficiently and minimize impact on sensitive features
  • Begin consultation with regulators and the public
  • Conduct and present the Environmental Impact Assessment for environmental approval
  • Apply for road, work and construction permits​
2. Construction​

  • Clear trees for roads and turbine pads
  • Build access roads and pad areas
  • Pour the turbine foundation
  • Assemble the wind turbine
  • Connect to NS Power's electrical grid
​3. Operation​
  • Commission the wind turbines to start producing power
  • Conduct post-construction wildlife monitoring
  • Monitor remotely for real time alerts when additional maintenance is needed
  • Operate for 30 years​
4. Decommission or Retrofit
  • Assess wind turbine after 30 years
  • Decommission wind turbines in 3-6 months
  • Reclaim the site to its former state OR
  • Receive approvals and permits to retrofit the turbine to continue harnessing energy​

Frequently Asked Questions

are wind turbines noisy?
​Since wind turbines are large mechanical pieces of equipment, they can be expected to produce some noise. However, as wind turbine technology has evolved, the sound emitted by wind turbines has decreased. In current designs the mechanical noise is almost obsolete, resulting in only the interaction of the air and the turbine parts producing noise. This noise decreases as the radial distance from the turbine increases. For reference, the compressor of a refrigerator produces 40-45 dB of noise, whereas a wind energy project would have a noise level of between 35-45 dB at 350 meters away (Check out the Energy Nova Scotia Wind Page for more information). Federal and provincial jurisdictions establish minimum distances from turbines to occupied dwellings to minimize this noise.​
How close are the turbines to homes or cabins?
The proposed turbines will be set back at least 1.0 km from all cabins and houses.
Are wind turbines bad for my health?
​A study done by Health Canada in 2014 investigated the health effects of wind turbine noise. This study found that wind turbine noise was not associated with self-reported sleep, illness or stress levels. The summary of these results can be reviewed on the Health Canada Environmental and Workplace Health page and links to additional studies can be found in the following section.
How does Natural Forces get the land?
Natural Forces has many operating windfarms on private lands in Nova Scotia. In these cases, the company has developed, over years, a trusted relationship with the landowners and in all instances the land remains in the ownership of the landowner and is leased for the duration of the project. No land has been leased from unwilling landowners.
can LOCAL COMPANIES take part DURING CONSTRUCTION?
Yes. There will be many construction jobs created by the Westchester Wind Project. These positions will be held by local-subcontractors hired by Natural Forces, which will act as the General Contractor during the construction phase of the project. 
Will there be an impact to the environment?
With the new advances in wind turbine technology, the installed capacity of each turbine allows us to use fewer turbines to meet energy demands. By using fewer turbines we are able to reduce the overall project footprint. We will attempt to use as many existing roads onsite to minimize the clearing footprint. Tree clearing for the turbines, roads and collection system is often the main source of environmental impact. Another common environmental concern is birds colliding with the moving blades and impacts on bats. In Atlantic Canada, wind projects have seen the lowest bird and bat mortality compared to the rest of Canada. In this region, data shows that less than one bird per turbine per year is impacted by wind turbines.

More information

For more information, or if you have questions and comments on this project, please contact:
Kathleen Funke
Communications and Government Relations Manager
​kfunke[at]naturalforces.ca
​902-292-2476
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