After SaskPower announced, it's plan to build a 200-megawatt wind power project early this year, Engie, an electric utility company based in France held an open house to give locals a chance to learn and consult the company about their proposed project.

The project is called the Wymark Wind Project and would see Engie build wind turbines near Wymark.

Jon Fournier, the manager of business development with Engie Canada talked about their proposed project.

"We are proposing it to be a 200-megawatt or 100-megawatt project in response to SaskPower's current request for proposed projects," he said. "They are looking at a single 200-megawatt project or two 100-megawatt projects, so that's why we are proposing these projects. The 200-megawatt project who could see anywhere between 50 to 80 wind turbines, and for a 100-megawatt project it would be 25 to 40."

Fournier said that the reason they chose Wymark is because it met the criteria that they were looking for.

"We looked at the regional wind flow maps when we overlayed the transmission system so we could understand the areas of the province that have good wind resource, good proximity to transmission lines. The Wymark area met all of our criteria; it has good wind, good proximity transmission lines, a likely low environmental impact, and support from the local community."

Fournier added that project could cost anywhere between $320 million to $400 million.

Companies have until March of 2018 to submit their bids. The winning bid will be decided in May of 2018, and Fournier said that construction is set to start in 2020 and would be finished by 2021.

Fournier, who flew in from Engie Canada's headquarters in Markham, Ontario said they wanted to hold an open house to give the public a chance to bring up any questions or concerns that they had.

"It's an opportunity to consult and engage with the local community," he said. 'We feel that early engagement and early consultation is a very important part of the public. The community to provide feedback, questions, comments, and concerns so that we can consider these things as we design the site. "

Engie is one of 14 companies that have applied for a bid to build the windfarms.

Engie will be at Gull Lake holding another open house for another the proposed Benchlands Wind Energy Project.